Patents by Inventor Markus Krekel
Markus Krekel 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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Publication number: 20240067163Abstract: A method for maneuvering a vehicle having a trailer coupling in the region of a parking space is provided, wherein the vehicle has at least a first sensor and a second sensor and a control device, wherein it is detected whether an object is disposed in the region of the back of the vehicle, whether the object affects the parking behavior of the vehicle and whether the field of view of at least one sensor is blocked by the object. A vehicle for carrying out the method is further provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Florian Vieten, Andreas Giersiefer, Elena Lazaridis, Paul Jamnicki
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Patent number: 11845334Abstract: A method for controlling a locking system for automatic locking and shutdown of a motor vehicle comprising a device for partially autonomous parking is described. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a request for automatic locking and shutdown of the motor vehicle; determining at least one feature which identifies an imminent use of the function for partially autonomous parking; evaluating the at least one feature captured and on the basis thereof determining whether a use of the function for partially autonomous parking is to be expected; delaying the automatic shutdown of the motor vehicle if it was determined that a use of the function for partially autonomous parking is to be expected.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2022Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Florian Vieten
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Publication number: 20230303062Abstract: During an autonomous or semiautonomous parking maneuver, a driver may typically exert manual control on the steering wheel and the autonomous maneuver will be automatically deactivated. The invention provides a method preventing unwanted deactivation of an active parking assistance system which has occurred in the prior art. During the parking maneuver, a check is made to detect the presence of a deactivation prevention event, and if a deactivation prevention event is present then either an increase is applied to a threshold torque above which the active parking assistance system is deactivated or the automatic deactivation is fully prevented. The presence of the deactivation prevention event may be checked based on a vehicle inclination, a steering angle, or a presence of a curb adjacent the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Markus Krekel, Andrew Ochmanski
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Publication number: 20230286584Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle (2) with a parking assistant (4), which is operable in an in-vehicle operating mode (SM) and a remote parking operating mode (RM), with the steps: (S100) reading data (D) indicative of a parking situation of a detected parking space (6), (S200) evaluating the data (D) to determine an output signal (AS) indicative of the in-vehicle operating mode (SM) or the remote parking operating mode (RM), and (S300) outputting the output signal (AS).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2022Publication date: September 14, 2023Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Ahmed Benmimoun, Markus Krekel, Nadja Wysietzki, Andrew Ochmanski, Cinderella Matuk, Lars Kuhnert, Thomas Gerlitz, Erick Michael Lavoie
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Publication number: 20230107437Abstract: A method for controlling a locking system for automatic locking and shutdown of a motor vehicle comprising a device for partially autonomous parking is described. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a request for automatic locking and shutdown of the motor vehicle; determining at least one feature which identifies an imminent use of the function for partially autonomous parking; evaluating the at least one feature captured and on the basis thereof determining whether a use of the function for partially autonomous parking is to be expected; delaying the automatic shutdown of the motor vehicle if it was determined that a use of the function for partially autonomous parking is to be expected.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Florian Vieten
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Patent number: 11420620Abstract: Systems and methods for driver presence and position detection are disclosed herein. A method can include determining whether a vehicle is in an open area or an enclosed area, determining that a key of the vehicle is no longer present inside the vehicle and an ignition of the vehicle is on, suppressing or delaying a warning message that indicates that the key of the vehicle is no longer present inside the vehicle and the vehicle is in the open area, and providing the warning message when the vehicle is in the enclosed area.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Karolina Skiba, Eric Reed, Sneha Bagga, Adithya Ramachandran, Ghassan El-hosseiny
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Patent number: 11097723Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for user interfaces for vehicle remote park-assist. An example remote park-assist system includes a mobile app. The mobile app includes an interface for a touchscreen of a mobile device. The interface includes a pushbutton for receiving a continuous stationary input and an input pad for receiving a dynamic input sequence. The example remote park-assist system also includes a communication module for communication with the mobile device and an autonomy unit to perform motive functions while the interface simultaneously receives the continuous stationary input and the dynamic input sequence.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Cinderella Matuk, Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun, Gabrielle Jost, Erick Michael Lavoie, Frank Mast
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Patent number: 10967851Abstract: A vehicle system includes a camera, a sensor, and processors for detecting an unoccupied parking spot while the vehicle traverses a detection path. The processors define a variable virtual boundary based on at least one object detected on a side of the detection path excluding the unoccupied parking spot and generates at least one parking maneuver based on the unoccupied parking spot and the variable virtual boundary.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2018Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun, Andrew Ochmanski, Thomas Gerlitz, Nadja Wysietzki, Cinderella Matuk, Li Xu, Kyle Simmons
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Patent number: 10821972Abstract: Vehicles and methods are disclosed for enabling vehicle occupants to maximize their time inside a vehicle during a remote parking operation, so as to limit exposure to adverse weather. An example vehicle includes a door, a sensor, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a minimum open door angle for an occupant to exit, determine a vehicle path for execution of a remote parking operation, and, responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation that the door is prevented from opening to the minimum door angle, pause execution of the remote parking operation.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun
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Patent number: 10717432Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for park-assist based on vehicle door open positions. An example vehicle includes a door, a door sensor, a range-detection sensor, and a controller. The controller is to determine, via the door sensor, a preferred angle of an occupant for opening the door and detect, via the range-detection sensor, a spot that is unoccupied. The controller also is to predict a maximum angle for opening the door within the spot. The example vehicle also includes an autonomy unit to perform park-assist into the spot responsive to the maximum angle equaling or exceeding the preferred angle.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun
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Publication number: 20200122716Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for user interfaces for vehicle remote park-assist. An example remote park-assist system includes a mobile app. The mobile app includes an interface for a touchscreen of a mobile device. The interface includes a pushbutton for receiving a continuous stationary input and an input pad for receiving a dynamic input sequence. The example remote park-assist system also includes a communication module for communication with the mobile device and an autonomy unit to perform motive functions while the interface simultaneously receives the continuous stationary input and the dynamic input sequence.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2018Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Cinderella Matuk, Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun, Gabrielle Jost, Erick Michael Lavoie, Frank Mast
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Patent number: 10628687Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for parking spot identification for vehicle park-assist. An example vehicle includes range-detection sensors, an acceleration sensor, an autonomy unit to perform park-assist, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine, via the acceleration sensor, whether the vehicle is accelerating. The controller also is to, responsive to determining that the vehicle is not accelerating, identify potential parking spots for the park-assist via the range-detection sensors. The controller also is to, responsive to detecting that the vehicle is accelerating, suppress identification of the potential parking spots.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2018Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Markus Krekel, Cinderella Matuk, Ahmed Benmimoun, Lars Kuhnert
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Publication number: 20200117925Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for parking spot identification for vehicle park-assist. An example vehicle includes range-detection sensors, an acceleration sensor, an autonomy unit to perform park-assist, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine, via the acceleration sensor, whether the vehicle is accelerating. The controller also is to, responsive to determining that the vehicle is not accelerating, identify potential parking spots for the park-assist via the range-detection sensors. The controller also is to, responsive to detecting that the vehicle is accelerating, suppress identification of the potential parking spots.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2018Publication date: April 16, 2020Inventors: Markus Krekel, Cinderella Matuk, Ahmed Benmimoun, Lars Kuhnert
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Publication number: 20200094816Abstract: A vehicle system includes a camera, a sensor, and processors for detecting an unoccupied parking spot while the vehicle traverses a detection path. The processors define a variable virtual boundary based on at least one object detected on a side of the detection path excluding the unoccupied parking spot and generates at least one parking maneuver based on the unoccupied parking spot and the variable virtual boundary.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2018Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun, Andrew Ochmanski, Thomas Gerlitz, Nadja Wysietzki, Cinderella Matuk, Li Xu, Kyle Simmons
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Publication number: 20200086850Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for park-assist based on vehicle door open positions. An example vehicle includes a door, a door sensor, a range-detection sensor, and a controller. The controller is to determine, via the door sensor, a preferred angle of an occupant for opening the door and detect, via the range-detection sensor, a spot that is unoccupied. The controller also is to predict a maximum angle for opening the door within the spot. The example vehicle also includes an autonomy unit to perform park-assist into the spot responsive to the maximum angle equaling or exceeding the preferred angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun
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Publication number: 20200086852Abstract: Vehicles and methods are disclosed for enabling vehicle occupants to maximize their time inside a vehicle during a remote parking operation, so as to limit exposure to adverse weather. An example vehicle includes a door, a sensor, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a minimum open door angle for an occupant to exit, determine a vehicle path for execution of a remote parking operation, and, responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation that the door is prevented from opening to the minimum door angle, pause execution of the remote parking operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun
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Publication number: 20200086851Abstract: Vehicles and methods are disclosed for enabling vehicle occupants to minimize their time outside a vehicle during a remote park-out operation, so as to limit exposure to adverse weather. An example vehicle includes a communication system, doors, sensors, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive an indication of a selected door via the communication system, determine a vehicle path for a remote park-out operation, and, during execution of the remote park-out operation, determine using the sensors that the selected door transitioned from being inaccessible to being accessible.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Markus Krekel, Ahmed Benmimoun, Mike Mould