Patents by Inventor Guido WEITKUS

Guido WEITKUS 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).

  • Patent number: 11433896
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to move a vehicle within a roadway lane according to an emergency lane procedure to form an emergency lane when a longitudinal speed of the vehicle is below a specified speed and end the emergency lane procedure when the longitudinal speed is at least a second specified speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Puetz, Guido Weitkus, Andreas Meyer, Mohamed Benmimoun
  • Publication number: 20220169289
    Abstract: Practicing a takeover of vehicle control of a vehicle 100 from an autonomous mode includes generating a takeover command for performing the takeover of the vehicle control without the existence of a reason for a takeover, and outputting the takeover command to a driver of the vehicle, wherein information about the non-existence of a reason for takeover is not output to the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Bauer, Peter W. A. Zegelaar, Guido Weitkus, Andreas Puetz, Patrick Piastowski, Benjamin Maus
  • Patent number: 11214257
    Abstract: It is determined that (a) a first vehicle is driving on a curve on a first road or, (b) by detecting a second road, a road boundary of the first road. It is further determined that there is (c) parallel traffic by determining that a second vehicle is moving in a lane of the second road adjacent to the first road, or (d) tangential traffic by detecting a third vehicle is moving tangentially to the curve. Upon determining that there is simultaneously at least one of (a) the first vehicle driving on the curve on the first road or (b) the road boundary of the first road, and at least one of (c) parallel traffic or (d) tangential traffic, then it is determined that the first vehicle is driving on an on-ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Maus, Guido Weitkus, Andreas Meyer, Peter W. A. Zegelaar, Christoph Schlaug
  • Patent number: 11124188
    Abstract: The invention concerns an adaptive speed controller for a motor vehicle, with a stop-and-go system for an automatic or driver-confirmed restart following a standstill of the motor vehicle because of a vehicle ahead coming to a standstill and starting again, wherein if the motor vehicle comes to a standstill the stop-and-go system then enters a dynamic standstill state (t0 to t1) from which an automatic dynamic restart is possible, and wherein a preset period of time after the motor vehicle has come to a standstill and remains therein, the stop-and-go system enters a confirmation standstill state (>t4) from which an automatic restart is only possible after a driver's confirmation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Maus, Guido Weitkus
  • Patent number: 10915103
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for capturing a traffic lane. A traffic lane data set is evaluated to capture an abrupt change of the traffic lane. The traffic lane data set is divided into a new traffic lane data set that represents a new traffic lane boundary and an old traffic lane data set that represents an old traffic lane boundary. A difference data set is determined between the old traffic lane data set and the new traffic lane data set. The difference data set is added to the new traffic lane data set to form a resulting data set, wherein the difference data set is weighted with a plurality of weighting factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Meyer, Guido Weitkus, Patrick Glet, Benjamin Maus, Manuel Merz
  • Patent number: 10843705
    Abstract: A method is disclosed to operate a motor vehicle using a driver assistance system. The driver assistance system includes, for at least one driver assistance system function, at least one criterion relating to a vehicle environment. The at least one criterion is defined for an adaptation of the driver assistance system function, a number of features of the environment of the vehicle are detected, a probability of the occurrence of at least one criterion is estimated on the basis of a combination of the detected features, and the driver assistance system function is adapted on the basis of the estimated probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Maus, Reid James Steiger, Andreas Meyer, Manuel Merz, Guido Weitkus
  • Publication number: 20200282991
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system with a stop-and-go function, having the steps of: bringing the motor vehicle to a stop upon detecting that a vehicle in front has stopped, providing a start signal within a predetermined first time period upon starting of the vehicle in front, reading safety-relevant data after the first time period has ended and if the vehicle in front is still stopped, and suppressing a start signal if the safety-relevant data indicate a hazardous traffic situation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Maus, Andreas Meyer, Guido Weitkus, Goetz-Philipp Wegner, Armin Mueller-Lerwe, Samantha Medenbach
  • Patent number: 10688996
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and system to operate a motor vehicle with a congestion assistant. The congestion assistant enters sensor data, which serves as input data of the congestion assistant. The sensor data is evaluated, via an evaluation unit, in order to define a value representing a signal roughness of the sensor data. The value is compared, via a comparison unit, with a threshold value. A suppression signal is generated, via a signal detection unit, to prevent automatic activation of the congestion assistant if the value is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Guido Weitkus, Andreas Meyer, Manuel Merz, Benjamin Maus, Mohamed Benmimoun, Fabian Kuzaj
  • Publication number: 20200001876
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to move a vehicle within a roadway lane according to an emergency lane procedure to form an emergency lane when a longitudinal speed of the vehicle is below a specified speed and end the emergency lane procedure when the longitudinal speed is at least a second specified speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Puetz, Guido Weitkus, Andreas Meyer, Mohamed Benmimoun
  • Publication number: 20190351905
    Abstract: The invention concerns an adaptive speed controller for a motor vehicle, with a stop-and-go system for an automatic or driver-confirmed restart following a standstill of the motor vehicle because of a vehicle ahead coming to a standstill and starting again, wherein if the motor vehicle comes to a standstill the stop-and-go system then enters a dynamic standstill state (t0 to t1) from which an automatic dynamic restart is possible, and wherein a preset period of time after the motor vehicle has come to a standstill and remains therein, the stop-and-go system enters a confirmation standstill state (>t4) from which an automatic restart is only possible after a driver's confirmation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Maus, Guido Weitkus
  • Publication number: 20190241187
    Abstract: It is determined that (a) a first vehicle is driving on a curve on a first road or, (b) by detecting a second road, a road boundary of the first road. It is further determined that there is (c) parallel traffic by determining that a second vehicle is moving in a lane of the second road adjacent to the first road, or (d) tangential traffic by detecting a third vehicle is moving tangentially to the curve. Upon determining that there is simultaneously at least one of (a) the first vehicle driving on the curve on the first road or (b) the road boundary of the first road, and at least one of (c) parallel traffic or (d) tangential traffic, then it is determined that the first vehicle is driving on an on-ramp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Maus, Guido Weitkus, Andreas Meyer, Peter W.A. Zegelaar, Christoph Schlaug
  • Publication number: 20190079520
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for capturing a traffic lane. A traffic lane data set is evaluated to capture an abrupt change of the traffic lane. The traffic lane data set is divided into a new traffic lane data set that represents a new traffic lane boundary and an old traffic lane data set that represents an old traffic lane boundary. A difference data set is determined between the old traffic lane data set and the new traffic lane data set. The difference data set is added to the new traffic lane data set to form a resulting data set, wherein the difference data set is weighted with a plurality of weighting factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas MEYER, Guido WEITKUS, Patrick GLET, Benjamin MANUS, Manuel MERZ
  • Publication number: 20190023280
    Abstract: A method is disclosed to operate a motor vehicle using a driver assistance system. The driver assistance system includes, for at least one driver assistance system function, at least one criterion relating to a vehicle environment. The at least one criterion is defined for an adaptation of the driver assistance system function, a number of features of the environment of the vehicle are detected, a probability of the occurrence of at least one criterion is estimated on the basis of a combination of the detected features, and the driver assistance system function is adapted on the basis of the estimated probability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin MAUS, Reid James STEIGER, Andreas MEYER, Manuel MERZ, Guido WEITKUS
  • Publication number: 20180334168
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and system to operate a motor vehicle with a congestion assistant. The congestion assistant enters sensor data, which serves as input data of the congestion assistant. The sensor data is evaluated, via an evaluation unit, in order to define a value representing a signal roughness of the sensor data. The value is compared, via a comparison unit, with a threshold value. A suppression signal is generated, via a signal detection unit, to prevent automatic activation of the congestion assistant if the value is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Guido WEITKUS, Andreas MEYER, Manuel MERZ, Benjamin MAUS, Mohamed BENMIMOUN, Fabian KUZAJ