Patents by Inventor Jeffery R. Grimes
Jeffery R. Grimes 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: 11705591Abstract: A method of detecting a thermal event associated with a battery assembly of an electrified vehicle includes, among other things, obtaining a temperature reading from a sensor associated with an area of the battery assembly, assessing whether the sensor is flagged with a first identifier or a second identifier. The first identifier indicates that the temperature reading is reliable. The second identifier indicates that the temperature reading is unreliable. If the sensor is flagged with the first identifier, the method detects a thermal event associated with the battery assembly based on the temperature reading from the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Hesam Zomorodi Moghadam, Navid Rahbariasr, Xu Wang, Graham Lynn Briggs, Jeffery R. Grimes, Michael George Schamber, Wai Hwa Fong
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Patent number: 11648838Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle and a method for gradually adjusting a displayed state of charge. An exemplary electrified vehicle includes a battery, a display configured to display a state of charge of the battery, and a controller configured to adjust the displayed state of charge such that the displayed state of charge gradually converges to an estimated state of charge of the battery.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Heinrich Enslin, Lila Ghannam, Charles Everett Badger, II, Xu Wang, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Publication number: 20220077517Abstract: A method of detecting a thermal event associated with a battery assembly of an electrified vehicle includes, among other things, obtaining a temperature reading from a sensor associated with an area of the battery assembly, assessing whether the sensor is flagged with a first identifier or a second identifier. The first identifier indicates that the temperature reading is reliable. The second identifier indicates that the temperature reading is unreliable. If the sensor is flagged with the first identifier, the method detects a thermal event associated with the battery assembly based on the temperature reading from the sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2020Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Hesam Zomorodi Moghadam, Navid Rahbariasr, Xu Wang, Graham Lynn Briggs, Jeffery R. Grimes, Michael George Schamber, Wai Hwa Fong
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Publication number: 20220055484Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle and a method for gradually adjusting a displayed state of charge. An exemplary electrified vehicle includes a battery, a display configured to display a state of charge of the battery, and a controller configured to adjust the displayed state of charge such that the displayed state of charge gradually converges to an estimated state of charge of the battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Inventors: Heinrich Enslin, Lila Ghannam, Charles Everett Badger, II, Xu Wang, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Patent number: 11198365Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle and a method for gradually adjusting a displayed state of charge. An exemplary electrified vehicle includes a battery, a display configured to display a state of charge of the battery, and a controller configured to adjust the displayed state of charge such that the displayed state of charge gradually converges to an estimated state of charge of the battery.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2018Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Heinrich Enslin, Lila Ghannam, Charles Everett Badger, II, Xu Wang, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Patent number: 11135939Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a powertrain that includes an engine and an electric machine. The vehicle includes a traction battery that is charged and discharged by operation of the engine and the electric machined. The vehicle includes a controller programmed to operate the engine and the electric machine to satisfy a driver power demand. The controller is also programmed to initiate an estimated of a capacity of the traction battery under predetermined conditions. The controller operates the engine and the electric machine to satisfy the driver power demand and charge and discharge the traction battery in a predetermined manner to create conditions favorable for estimating the capacity.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Heinrich Enslin, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Patent number: 11130420Abstract: A power distribution system for a vehicle includes contactors that selectively electrically couple a charger to a high-voltage bus. The contactors are closed at the start of a charge event in an order that alternates for successive charge events. Upon completion of the charge event, the last closed contactor at the start of the charge event is opened first and a weld check is performed. If the weld check is indicative of a welded contactor, then the weld check is performed on the other contactor.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2019Date of Patent: September 28, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Rui Wang, Yuan Zhang, Xu Wang, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Patent number: 11110809Abstract: A vehicle system includes a battery, and a charge controller configured to, for a first cycle, initiate charging of the battery at a first start time identified from a defined charge complete time and a first energy estimate of non-charging loads, and, for a next charge cycle and same defined charge complete time, initiate charging of the battery at a next start time, later than the first start time, identified from the same defined charge complete time and actual energy consumed by the non-charging loads during the first cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Navid Rahbari Asr, Jeffery R. Grimes, Charles Everett Badger, II
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Patent number: 11084394Abstract: An electrified vehicle state of charge communication method includes, among other things, communicating a charge state notification when an actual state of charge of a traction battery is depleted such that the actual state of charge falls within a first reserve range. The method further includes adjusting the first reserve range to provide a second reserve range different than the first reserve range, and, after the adjusting, communicating the charge state notification when the actual state of charge is depleted such that the actual state of charge falls within the second reserve range.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Heinrich Enslin, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Publication number: 20210146796Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a powertrain that includes an engine and an electric machine. The vehicle includes a traction battery that is charged and discharged by operation of the engine and the electric machined. The vehicle includes a controller programmed to operate the engine and the electric machine to satisfy a driver power demand. The controller is also programmed to initiate an estimated of a capacity of the traction battery under predetermined conditions. The controller operates the engine and the electric machine to satisfy the driver power demand and charge and discharge the traction battery in a predetermined manner to create conditions favorable for estimating the capacity.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2019Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Heinrich ENSLIN, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Patent number: 10994617Abstract: A system includes a primary monitoring system to determine a battery status of a battery pack and a secondary monitoring system configured to monitor the battery status as communicated by the primary monitoring system over a network. At least one of the primary and secondary monitoring systems generates a warning signal when the battery status comprises a thermal event that reaches a predetermined level.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2018Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Navid Rahbari Asr, Jeffery R. Grimes, Wai Hwa Fong
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Patent number: 10955453Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a global positioning system (GPS) module. The vehicle further includes a controller programmed to learn a source identification for a charging error during charge events. The controller receives location data corresponding to each charging error and utilizes the location data to determine the source identification. The source identification may be indicative of the vehicle, an offboard charger, and the operator. Errors that occur consistently at multiple locations may be assigned a higher probability of being identified as vehicle-related errors.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Navid Rahbari Asr, Lila Ghannam, Yuan Zhang, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Patent number: 10933768Abstract: A vehicle charging system includes a charger configured to adjust an output voltage to achieve a voltage request and output a measured output voltage. The vehicle charging system further includes a controller programmed to measure a terminal voltage of a traction battery being charged and receive the measured output voltage from the charger. The controller is further programmed to output the voltage request as a sum of a full charge voltage and an estimated voltage measurement error between the measured output voltage and the terminal voltage.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2018Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC.Inventors: Yuan Zhang, Jeffery R. Grimes, Navid Rahbari Asr, Lila Ghannam, Changjian Hu, Kevin Vander Laan, Matthew Roger Dedona
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Patent number: 10906414Abstract: This disclosure describes exemplary electrified vehicle charging systems and methods for charging energy storage devices (e.g., battery packs) of the vehicles. An exemplary charging system may be configured to monitor the electrified vehicle for determining whether either a recoverable vehicle fault or a non-recoverable vehicle fault occurs during a charging event and to automatically command a charging sequence restart without unplugging a charging component from a vehicle inlet assembly in response to detecting the recoverable vehicle fault. The control system may also be configured to provide remote notification about the need to unplug and replug the charging component when the non-recoverable fault is detected or when greater than a predefined number of charging sequence restarts have been attempted.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Wai Hwa Fong, Jeffery R. Grimes, Navid Rahbari Asr, Charles Everett Badger, II
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Patent number: 10816609Abstract: A vehicle power system includes an inverter, outlets, and circuit breakers. The inverter supplies power to the outlets through the circuit breakers. The inverter, in response to detecting no voltage at designated amount and combination of the outlets, based on the designated amount and combination, generates a signal indicating that one or more of electrical paths to the outlets has failed or one or more of the circuit breakers is open.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Heinrich Enslin, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Publication number: 20200317076Abstract: A power distribution system for a vehicle includes contactors that selectively electrically couple a charger to a high-voltage bus. The contactors are closed at the start of a charge event in an order that alternates for successive charge events. Upon completion of the charge event, the last closed contactor at the start of the charge event is opened first and a weld check is performed. If the weld check is indicative of a welded contactor, then the weld check is performed on the other contactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2019Publication date: October 8, 2020Inventors: Rui WANG, Yuan ZHANG, Xu WANG, Jeffery R. GRIMES
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Publication number: 20200269720Abstract: An electrified vehicle state of charge communication method includes, among other things, communicating a charge state notification when an actual state of charge of a traction battery is depleted such that the actual state of charge falls within a first reserve range. The method further includes adjusting the first reserve range to provide a second reserve range different than the first reserve range, and, after the adjusting, communicating the charge state notification when the actual state of charge is depleted such that the actual state of charge falls within the second reserve range.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2019Publication date: August 27, 2020Inventors: Heinrich Enslin, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Patent number: 10718630Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that includes a communication unit configured to periodically respond to a charge signal, and to adjust a travel route and charge waypoint, according to an estimated charge station travel route and waypoint charge time received from a remote fleet server. The estimates are received in response to periodic operating conditions that are generated and communicated to the server. The operating conditions include one or more of charge station, environment, and location data, vehicle data, and battery performance data, among other data. The controller further configured to respond to travel route and/or charge complete signals, and to generate and store an estimate error as a difference between the actual and estimated optimal charge route and charge time. The controller readjusts at least one of the travel route and charge waypoint, responsive to the updated estimated optimal charge route and waypoint charge time received from the server.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2017Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Navid Rahbari Asr, Jeffery R. Grimes
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Publication number: 20200189407Abstract: This disclosure describes exemplary electrified vehicle charging systems and methods for charging energy storage devices (e.g., battery packs) of the vehicles. An exemplary charging system may be configured to monitor the electrified vehicle for determining whether either a recoverable vehicle fault or a non-recoverable vehicle fault occurs during a charging event and to automatically command a charging sequence restart without unplugging a charging component from a vehicle inlet assembly in response to detecting the recoverable vehicle fault. The control system may also be configured to provide remote notification about the need to unplug and replug the charging component when the non-recoverable fault is detected or when greater than a predefined number of charging sequence restarts have been attempted.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Wai Hwa Fong, Jeffery R. Grimes, Navid Rahbari Asr, Charles Everett Badger, II
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Publication number: 20200156475Abstract: A system includes a primary monitoring system to determine a battery status of a battery pack and a secondary monitoring system configured to monitor the battery status as communicated by the primary monitoring system over a network. At least one of the primary and secondary monitoring systems generates a warning signal when the battery status comprises a thermal event that reaches a predetermined level.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Navid Rahbari Asr, Jeffery R. Grimes, Wai Hwa Fong