Patents by Inventor Douglas B. THORNBURG
Douglas B. THORNBURG 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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Patent number: 10988091Abstract: A power distribution box (PDB) includes relays to connect a vehicle battery to corresponding electronic control units (ECUs) of a vehicle. A processor is programmed to instruct the PDB via a control interface to cause one of the relays to power a target ECU, send a sleep command over a vehicle bus to cause powered ECUs other than the target ECU to sleep, and install a software update to the target ECU.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Sangeetha Sangameswaran, Jason Michael Miller, William C. Dierker, Douglas B. Thornburg
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Patent number: 10706642Abstract: A system includes at least one processor configured to, in response to receiving a VIN from a remote vehicle, transmit to the vehicle a parameter definition selected based on fields of the VIN to configure an ECU of the vehicle to enter a logging mode to capture, aggregate, and send operational data of the vehicle, and a bandwidth configuration file for a modem of the vehicle based on historical throughput requirements associated with operational data. The parameter definition may include a reporting application configured to be executed by a processor of the ECU to generate a processed parameter from a raw parameter associated with vehicle operation. Also, the parameter definition may include updated firmware for the ECU, and the reporting application is configured to be executed by the ECU after the updated firmware is installed in the ECU.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2015Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Medville Jay Throop, Praveen Kumar Yalavarty, Douglas B. Thornburg, John William Schmotzer, Brian David Tillman
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Patent number: 10622612Abstract: An electric propulsion vehicle has a high voltage electric drive system and a low voltage electrical accessory system. A high voltage battery pack provides electrical power at a relatively higher voltage for a traction motor. A low voltage distribution system is routed within the vehicle carrying a relatively lower voltage for the accessory system. A molded battery enclosure contains the battery pack and extends between predetermined locations in the vehicle body/frame. The low voltage distribution system includes a bus bar retained in the enclosure and electrically isolated from the battery pack. The bus bar has exposed terminal ends accessible at the predetermined locations. Incorporating the low voltage bus bar into the high voltage battery enclosure reduces the packaging space for the low voltage distribution system while simultaneously strengthening the enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2018Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: David J. Berels, Douglas B. Thornburg
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Publication number: 20190326582Abstract: An electric propulsion vehicle has a high voltage electric drive system and a low voltage electrical accessory system. A high voltage battery pack provides electrical power at a relatively higher voltage for a traction motor. A low voltage distribution system is routed within the vehicle carrying a relatively lower voltage for the accessory system. A molded battery enclosure contains the battery pack and extends between predetermined locations in the vehicle body/frame. The low voltage distribution system includes a bus bar retained in the enclosure and electrically isolated from the battery pack. The bus bar has exposed terminal ends accessible at the predetermined locations. Incorporating the low voltage bus bar into the high voltage battery enclosure reduces the packaging space for the low voltage distribution system while simultaneously strengthening the enclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2018Publication date: October 24, 2019Inventors: David J. Berels, Douglas B. Thornburg
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Patent number: 10394251Abstract: A storage maintains energy estimates corresponding to function requests for vehicles. A processor of a server is programmed to receive a function request for a vehicle, and direct the vehicle to perform the function request responsive to determining, according to battery information received from the vehicle and an energy estimate corresponding to the function request, that the vehicle has sufficient energy to perform the function request.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: William Dierker, Douglas B. Thornburg
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Publication number: 20190210545Abstract: A power distribution box (PDB) includes relays to connect a vehicle battery to corresponding electronic control units (ECUs) of a vehicle. A processor is programmed to instruct the PDB via a control interface to cause one of the relays to power a target ECU, send a sleep command over a vehicle bus to cause powered ECUs other than the target ECU to sleep, and install a software update to the target ECU.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2018Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventors: Sangeetha SANGAMESWARAN, Jason Michael MILLER, William C. DIERKER, Douglas B. THORNBURG
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Patent number: 10242509Abstract: A vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) may control a vehicle subsystem and be configured to receive from a remote server via a vehicle telematics unit (TCU), a parameter definition of a processed parameter to be computed by the ECU; generate the processed parameter according to the parameter definition based on a raw parameter generated by the ECU; and send the processed parameter to a vehicle data buffer associated with the ECU for upload to the remote server via the TCU.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Medville Jay Throop, Leighton Barnes, Douglas B. Thornburg, Brian David Tillman, John William Schmotzer
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Patent number: 10140783Abstract: A central gateway of a vehicle includes a processor and a storage connected to a plurality of vehicle buses. The gateway receives raw data from an electronic control unit (ECU) via one of the vehicle buses, augments the raw data with availability, classification, and context information, publishes the raw data to a publish/subscribe topic hosted to the storage, and subscribes at least a second ECU of the vehicle to the topic. A database of the central gateway is accessed, according to a determined type of raw data received by a central gateway of a vehicle from an electronic control unit (ECU) via a vehicle bus, for augmenting the raw data with availability, classification, and context information. The augmented data is provided to a publish/subscribe topic hosted by the gateway for accessing over a communication network by a service external to the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Douglas B. Thornburg, Brett Stottlemyer, Brock Watters, Nathan Gabrielli, Richard Englert
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Publication number: 20180307244Abstract: A storage maintains energy estimates corresponding to function requests for vehicles. A processor of a server is programmed to receive a function request for a vehicle, and direct the vehicle to perform the function request responsive to determining, according to battery information received from the vehicle and an energy estimate corresponding to the function request, that the vehicle has sufficient energy to perform the function request.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: William DIERKER, Douglas B. THORNBURG
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Patent number: 10093187Abstract: A vehicle system includes multiple DC-DC converter circuits, vehicle batteries, and vehicle power distribution buses. Each vehicle battery is electrically connected in parallel to each of the DC-DC converter circuits. Each of the vehicle batteries is also electrically connected in parallel to one another. Further, each of the DC-DC converter circuits and each of the vehicle batteries are electrically connected to multiple vehicle power distribution buses.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: David Jeffeory Berels, Douglas B. Thornburg, Brock Watters
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Publication number: 20180281797Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for settings adjustments of off-road vehicles. An example vehicle includes a locking differential, a suspension, a communication module to collect a map of an off-road trail, and a GPS receiver to determine a vehicle location. The example vehicle also includes an obstacle identifier to detect, via a processor, an upcoming obstacle based upon the vehicle location on the map, and a mode adjuster to set the locking differential in a first setting and the suspension in a second setting based upon the upcoming obstacle.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: David Jeffeory Berels, Douglas B. Thornburg
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Publication number: 20180232959Abstract: A central gateway of a vehicle includes a processor and a storage connected to a plurality of vehicle buses. The gateway receives raw data from an electronic control unit (ECU) via one of the vehicle buses, augments the raw data with availability, classification, and context information, publishes the raw data to a publish/subscribe topic hosted to the storage, and subscribes at least a second ECU of the vehicle to the topic. A database of the central gateway is accessed, according to a determined type of raw data received by a central gateway of a vehicle from an electronic control unit (ECU) via a vehicle bus, for augmenting the raw data with availability, classification, and context information. The augmented data is provided to a publish/subscribe topic hosted by the gateway for accessing over a communication network by a service external to the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2017Publication date: August 16, 2018Inventors: Douglas B. THORNBURG, Brett STOTTLEMYER, Brock WATTERS, Nathan GABRIELLI, Richard ENGLERT
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Publication number: 20180029474Abstract: A vehicle system includes multiple DC-DC converter circuits, vehicle batteries, and vehicle power distribution buses. Each vehicle battery is electrically connected in parallel to each of the DC-DC converter circuits. Each of the vehicle batteries is also electrically connected in parallel to one another. Further, each of the DC-DC converter circuits and each of the vehicle batteries are electrically connected to multiple vehicle power distribution buses.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2016Publication date: February 1, 2018Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David Jeffeory Berels, Douglas B. Thornburg, Brock Watters
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Publication number: 20170092018Abstract: A system includes at least one processor configured to, in response to receiving a VIN from a remote vehicle, transmit to the vehicle a parameter definition selected based on fields of the VIN to configure an ECU of the vehicle to enter a logging mode to capture, aggregate, and send operational data of the vehicle, and a bandwidth configuration file for a modem of the vehicle based on historical throughput requirements associated with operational data. The parameter definition may include a reporting application configured to be executed by a processor of the ECU to generate a processed parameter from a raw parameter associated with vehicle operation. Also, the parameter definition may include updated firmware for the ECU, and the reporting application is configured to be executed by the ECU after the updated firmware is installed in the ECU.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Medville Jay Throop, Praveen Kumar Yalavarty, Douglas B. Thornburg, John William Schmotzer, Brian David Tillman
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Publication number: 20160203652Abstract: A vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) may control a vehicle subsystem and be configured to receive from a remote server via a vehicle telematics unit (TCU), a parameter definition of a processed parameter to be computed by the ECU; generate the processed parameter according to the parameter definition based on a raw parameter generated by the ECU; and send the processed parameter to a vehicle data buffer associated with the ECU for upload to the remote server via the TCU.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2015Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: Medville Jay THROOP, Leighton BARNES, Douglas B. THORNBURG, Brian David TILLMAN, John William SCHMOTZER