Patents by Inventor Erick Michael Lavoie

Erick Michael Lavoie 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).

  • HIGH PHONE BLE OR CPU BURDEN DETECTION AND NOTIFICATION
    Publication number: 20200294325
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring of communication for vehicle remote motive control. An example vehicle includes an autonomy unit for remote motive control, a communication module, and a controller. The controller is to send a diagnostic signal to and receive a return signal from a mobile device via the communication module, determine a time period between sending of the diagnostic signal and receipt of the return signal, and prevent the autonomy unit from causing vehicle movement responsive to determining the time period is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Armin Mueller-Lerwe, Gabrielle Jost, Yuliya Aksyutina, Ali Hassani, Erick Michael Lavoie, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Christoph Hirner, Hamid M. Golgiri
  • Interface verification for vehicle remote park-assist
    Patent number: 10775781
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for interface verification for vehicle remote park-assist. An example vehicle system includes a vehicle and a mobile device. The mobile device includes a touchscreen and a controller. The controller is to present, via the touchscreen, an interface of a remote parking app and receive, via the touchscreen, an input to initiate remote parking when the interface is presented. The controller is to temporarily stop presenting the interface and stop initiation of remote parking responsive to continuing to receive the input when the interface is not displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Vivekanandh Elangovan, Erick Michael Lavoie, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Vehicle battery charging system and method
    Patent number: 10773596
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a battery and a charge plate electrically connected with the battery. The vehicle also includes a control system that causes an association signal to be repeatedly transmitted during a battery charge procedure to maintain charging of the battery via the charge plate, and in response to an object being detected in the vicinity or predicted to enter the vicinity of the charge plate, causes the transmission of the association signal to be interrupted to stop charging of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Systems and methods for vehicle side mirror control
    Patent number: 10773648
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling one or more side mirrors of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes a trailer sensor, brake sensor, and speed sensor, a side mirror, and a processor. The processor is configured to set the side mirror in a first position responsive to determining via the trailer sensor and speed sensor that a trailer is attached, and that a vehicle speed is above a threshold speed. And the processor is further configured to transition the side mirror to a second position responsive to determining that vehicle brakes have been applied for a threshold duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Erick Michael Lavoie, Keith Hoelscher, Pietro Buttolo
  • Hitch assist system
    Patent number: 10768633
    Abstract: A hitch assist system is provided herein. The hitch assist system includes a sensing system configured to detect a hitch assembly and a coupler. A controller is configured to generate commands for maneuvering a vehicle along a first path or a second path. A user input device includes a display, the display configured to illustrate the first and second paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yu Ling, Chen Zhang, Luke Niewiadomski, Theresa Lin, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Vehicle route planning
    Patent number: 10768003
    Abstract: A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine a route based on at least one of (a) an amount of snow accumulation, and (b) a predicted amount of remediation material, for each of a plurality of road segments, actuate a vehicle to follow the route, and actuate at least one of a snow plow and a material spreader on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Enhanced yaw rate trailer angle detection initialization
    Patent number: 10766525
    Abstract: A trailer backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a sensor module adapted to attach to the trailer and generate a trailer yaw rate or a trailer speed. The trailer backup assist system also includes a vehicle sensor system that generates a vehicle yaw rate and a vehicle speed. Further, the trailer backup assist system includes a controller that estimates a hitch angle based on the trailer yaw rate or the trailer speed and the vehicle yaw rate and the vehicle speed in view of a kinematic relationship between the trailer and the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Donald Jacob Mattern
  • INPUT SIGNAL MANAGEMENT FOR VEHICLE PARK-ASSIST
    Publication number: 20200276970
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for input signal management for vehicle park-assist. An example vehicle includes an autonomy unit for remote parking, a communication module, a sensor, and a controller. The controller is to designate a mobile device responsive to determining the remote parking is inactive and receiving an activation request from the mobile device. When the mobile device is designated, the controller also is to process remote parking signals of the mobile device, stop the remote parking when the sensor detects engagement of a door handle, and prevent processing of other nonemergency requests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Ali Hassani, Alyssa Chatten, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Input signal management for vehicle park-assist
    Patent number: 10759417
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for input signal management for vehicle park-assist. An example vehicle includes an autonomy unit for remote parking, a communication module, a sensor, and a controller. The controller is to designate a mobile device responsive to determining the remote parking is inactive and receiving an activation request from the mobile device. When the mobile device is designated, the controller also is to process remote parking signals of the mobile device, stop the remote parking when the sensor detects engagement of a door handle, and prevent processing of other nonemergency requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Ali Hassani, Alyssa Chatten, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Vehicle escape
    Patent number: 10759433
    Abstract: A map, including potential obstacles, can be generated by a computing device in a vehicle. An estimated coefficient of friction between the vehicle wheels and a roadway surrounding a stuck vehicle can be generated based on sensor data. A path can be determined based on the map, and the stuck vehicle can be operated based on the path and a determined slip ratio based on the vehicle wheels to unstick the stuck vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Falconer, Zachary Konchan, Leonard Eber Carrier, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Mobile device tethering for remote parking assist
    Patent number: 10747218
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for remote parking assist. An example vehicle includes ultra-wide angle cameras and a processor coupled to memory. The processor generates an interface based on a location of the mobile device including an overhead representation of the vehicle generated using images from the cameras and representations of a position of a mobile device and a boundary around the vehicle. The processor also sends the interface to the mobile device, and when the mobile device is not within the boundary, prevents autonomous parking of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Alyssa Chatten, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Hamid M. Golgiri
  • VEHICLE CONTROL ARBITRATION
    Publication number: 20200257282
    Abstract: A system includes a processor. The system includes a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to select one of a first message from a first input device or a second message from a second input device based on one of user priority, device priority, or temporal priority. The instructions include instructions to actuate a vehicle based on the selected first or second message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: ERICK MICHAEL LAVOIE
  • Mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle
    Patent number: 10737690
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes a plurality of proximity sensors and a body control module. In response to detecting a mobile device proximate one of the proximity sensors, the body control module sends a location associated with the corresponding proximity sensor to the mobile device. The body control module receives, from the mobile device, a relative position of the mobile device from the location, and when the mobile device is within a threshold distance of the vehicle, enables autonomous parking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Hamid M. Golgiri, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Aaron Matthew DeLong
  • System and method for tire wear prognostics
    Patent number: 10730352
    Abstract: A storage maintains coefficients that map histogram data elements to tire wear, the coefficients being trained based on a correlation of histogram data to measured tire wear. A processor is programmed to receive a wear data histogram from a vehicle, utilize the coefficients to translate the wear data histogram into a measure of physical tire wear; and send an alert message indicating the estimated tire wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Omar Makke, Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Trailer backup assist system with predictive hitch angle functionality
    Patent number: 10710585
    Abstract: A trailer backup assist system is provided herein. The system includes a calibration feature for calibrating an imaging device used for hitch angle detection. The system also employs multiple hitch angle detection methods, a number of which may run in parallel to increase the intervals at which a hitch angle can be measured. The system additionally includes a predictive feature in which a hitch angle can be predicted in instances where a trailer sensing device fails. The system is further configured to estimate a trailer length and generate steering commands that are invariant to the estimated trailer length under certain conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zheng Hu, Erick Michael Lavoie, Darrel Alan Recker, John P. Joyce, Donald Jacob Mattern, Michael Hafner, Li Xu, Eric Hongtei Tseng, Thomas Edward Pilutti
  • SPEED CONTROL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES
    Publication number: 20200198702
    Abstract: A trailer backup assist system is provided herein. The trailer backup assist system includes a hitch angle sensor configured to determine a hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer attached thereto. An input device is configured to accept an input command corresponding to a trailer path command curvature. A controller is configured to determine a vehicle threshold speed limit by determining a first vehicle speed limit based on the hitch angle and a second speed limit based on the command curvature. The controller generates a command to limit vehicle speed in a reverse direction below the threshold speed limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Donald Jacob Mattern, Joseph M. Raad
  • Mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle
    Patent number: 10688918
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes projection lamps and a body control module. The body control module determines a distance of a mobile device from the vehicle. The body control module also projects a representation of a boundary around the vehicle using the projection lamps and modifies the representation of the boundary based on the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and an operational state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Vivekanandh Elangovan, Hamid M. Golgiri, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Mobile device interface for trailer backup-assist
    Patent number: 10684773
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device interface for trailer backup-assist. An example vehicle system includes a vehicle and a mobile device. The mobile device includes a touchscreen, a communication module, and a controller. The controller is to present, via the touchscreen, an interface for trailer backup-assist and detect a swipe when the interface is presented. The controller also is to instruct, via the communication module, the vehicle to move in a direction corresponding to the swipe and continue to instruct the vehicle to move in the direction while detecting a continuous orbital motion extending from the swipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erick Michael Lavoie
  • In-vehicle location uncertainty management for passive start
    Patent number: 10685515
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for managing location uncertainty areas for a passive start system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes antenna modules for determining signal strengths of communication with a mobile device. The example vehicle also includes a wireless module configured to, when the mobile device is in a location uncertainty area (LUA), determine first and second location predictors. The wireless module is also configured to enable passive start when the first and second location predictors both indicate the mobile device is inside the vehicle. The wireless module is further configured to disable passive start if the mobile device is outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Laura Viviana Hazebrouck, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Erick Michael Lavoie, Ali Hassani, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Vehicle remote parking systems and methods
    Patent number: 10683034
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for determining a distance between a vehicle and a computing device during a remote parking operation. An example method includes receiving, by a computing device, a 3D model of a vehicle and vehicle inertial data. The method also includes capturing an image of the vehicle. The method further includes determining a distance between the computing device and the vehicle based on the image and the 3D model, and updating the distance based on the vehicle inertial data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, John Robert Van Wiemeersch