Patents by Inventor Michael A. Hafner

Michael A. Hafner 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: 9676377
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a steering system, a vehicle speed detector, a brake system, and a control system. The control system is coupled with steering system for implementing a backup mode for reversing a trailer including controlling the steering system to maintain the trailer along a path. The control system is further coupled with the speed detector and the brake system and selectively outputs a rate-limited brake torque demand to the brake system to maintain a vehicle speed below a threshold speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 9623859
    Abstract: A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a brake module and a throttle module. The system further includes a controller having a vehicle speed detector and coupled with the brake module and the throttle module for implementing a backup mode including detecting an adverse operating condition and then adjusting at least one of the brake module and the throttle module and terminating the backup mode upon detecting the adverse operating condition for a time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Nathaniel Abram Rolfes, Michael Hafner
  • Publication number: 20170101089
    Abstract: A parking assist system for a vehicle is provided that includes a proximity sensor configured to sense a distance to an obstacle, a parking controller configured to output a distance to target signal and a scheduler configured to process the distance to target signal and output a distance error signal to a control module configured to longitudinally control the vehicle. The scheduler is configured to process both a static and a dynamic distance to target signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: John Bales, Michael Hafner, Kevin Smith, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Publication number: 20170028970
    Abstract: A parking assist system for a vehicle is provided that includes a brake system having at least one wheel count encoder configured to output a wheel count signal and a controller configured to limit a velocity of the vehicle in a first mode. The controller is also configured to stop the vehicle at a target location in a second mode, and prevent overshoot of the target location by the vehicle in a third mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: John Bales, Michael Hafner
  • Publication number: 20160368467
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a steering system, a vehicle speed detector, a brake system, and a control system. The control system is coupled with steering system for implementing a backup mode for reversing a trailer including controlling the steering system to maintain the trailer along a path. The control system is further coupled with the speed detector and the brake system and selectively outputs a rate-limited brake torque demand to the brake system to maintain a vehicle speed below a threshold speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 9506774
    Abstract: A method of inputting a path is provided. The method includes the steps of generating an aerial view of a vehicle and a trailer based on at least one of image data and satellite image data, displaying the aerial view on a display having a touch screen, and registering a touch event on the touch screen that inputs an intended path for the vehicle and the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Shutko, Roger Arnold Trombley, Matt Y. Rupp, Michael Hafner
  • Patent number: 9493187
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a trailer backup assist system includes a sensor that senses a measured hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer. The system also provides an input module that receives a desired curvature of the trailer. A controller of the system includes a curvature regulator determining a desired hitch angle based on the desired curvature and a steering angle of the vehicle. In addition, the controller of the system includes a hitch angle regulator generating a steering angle command based on the desired hitch angle and the measured hitch angle. In this embodiment, the controller is configured to operate the trailer backup assist system irrespective of the attached trailer having a conventional tongue or a gooseneck tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Pilutti, Roger Arnold Trombley, Michael Hafner, Matthew Y. Rupp, Douglas Scott Rhode, Darrel Alan Recker
  • Publication number: 20160288786
    Abstract: A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a brake module and a throttle module. The system further includes a controller having a vehicle speed detector and coupled with the brake module and the throttle module for implementing a backup mode including detecting an adverse operating condition and then adjusting at least one of the brake module and the throttle module and terminating the backup mode upon detecting the adverse operating condition for a time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Nathaniel Abram Rolfes, Michael Hafner
  • Publication number: 20160229452
    Abstract: A trailer backup assist system for motor vehicles includes an auxiliary user input feature that can be used by a vehicle operator to provide a steering curvature command corresponding to a desired vehicle path curvature without requiring a user to move a steering wheel of the motor vehicle. The trailer backup assist system is configured to control a vehicle speed while the vehicle is backing up with a trailer attached thereto utilizing an input comprising at least one of a steering curvature command and an angle of a trailer relative to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist system controls at least one of a brake system, an engine torque, and a transmission gear selection to thereby control vehicle speed in a reverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Nathaniel A. Rolfes, Bradley G. Hochrein, Darrel Alan Recker, Donald Jacob Mattern, Michael Hafner
  • Patent number: 9238483
    Abstract: A trailer backup assist system, according to one embodiment, includes a state estimator that determines a current position of a trailer relative to a plurality of waypoints. A trajectory planner may then incrementally generate a path from the current position to the plurality of waypoints. The trajectory planner has a first mode that generates first and second circular trajectories tangent to one another connecting between the current position and a waypoint of the plurality of waypoints. A second mode of the trajectory planner generates the second circular trajectory between the current position and the waypoint after the trailer traverses the first circular trajectory. Also, a third mode of the trajectory planner switches to the first operating mode when the trailer reaches the waypoint for guidance to a subsequent waypoint. A curvature controller guides the trailer based on a curvature of the respective first or second circular trajectories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Thomas Edward Pilutti
  • Publication number: 20150210317
    Abstract: A trailer backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer is provided herein. The system includes a steering input device for controlling a desired curvature. A controller is in communication with the steering input device and is configured to generate steering command for the vehicle to guide the vehicle and trailer onto a straight path when a straight backup request is initiated via the steering input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Thomas Edward Pilutti
  • Publication number: 20150203156
    Abstract: A display system for a vehicle attached to a trailer is provided herein. The system includes a display configured to show an aerial view of the vehicle and the trailer and a plurality of waypoints, each indicating a possible parking location for the trailer. The system also includes a device that interfaces with the display and is operable to select one of the plurality of waypoints and set a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, John Shutko, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Publication number: 20150197281
    Abstract: A system for backing a vehicle and a trailer is provided herein. The system includes an imaging system configured to detect contiguous lane markers while imaging an operating environment of the vehicle and trailer. The system also includes a user interface configured to display the contiguous lane markers in relation to the vehicle and trailer wherein the user is enabled to select a target space bounded by the contiguous lane markers. A backup assist system is also provided to determine a steering trajectory into the target space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Alex Maurice Miller, Michael Hafner, Sudipto Aich
  • Publication number: 20150158527
    Abstract: A method of backing a trailer attached to a vehicle is provided herein. The method includes the steps of generating a plurality of waypoints on a display of the vehicle and selecting one of the plurality waypoints. The method also includes setting a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint and determining a backing path based on the selected waypoint and the set trailer orientation. The method further includes backing the trailer along the backing path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Thomas Edward Pilutti
  • Publication number: 20140358429
    Abstract: A method of inputting a path is provided. The method includes the steps of generating an aerial view of a vehicle and a trailer based on at least one of image data and satellite image data, displaying the aerial view on a display having a touch screen, and registering a touch event on the touch screen that inputs an intended path for the vehicle and the trailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: John Shutko, Roger Arnold Trombley, Matt Y. Rupp, Michael Hafner
  • Publication number: 20140303849
    Abstract: A trailer backup assist system, according to one embodiment, includes a state estimator that determines a current position of a trailer relative to a plurality of waypoints. A trajectory planner may then incrementally generate a path from the current position to the plurality of waypoints. The trajectory planner has a first mode that generates first and second circular trajectories tangent to one another connecting between the current position and a waypoint of the plurality of waypoints. A second mode of the trajectory planner generates the second circular trajectory between the current position and the waypoint after the trailer traverses the first circular trajectory. Also, a third mode of the trajectory planner switches to the first operating mode when the trailer reaches the waypoint for guidance to a subsequent waypoint. A curvature controller guides the trailer based on a curvature of the respective first or second circular trajectories.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Thomas Edward Pilutti
  • Publication number: 20140249691
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a trailer backup assist system includes a state estimator that determines a current position of a trailer relative to a waypoint position. In addition, the trailer backup assist system includes a trajectory planner that generates first and second circular trajectories tangent to one another spanning between the current and waypoint positions. The trailer backup assist system also includes a controller that reverses the trailer to the waypoint position along the first and second circular trajectories, which are dynamically regenerated as the trailer reverses along the first circular trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Thomas Edward Pilutti
  • Publication number: 20140249723
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a trailer backup assist system includes a sensor that senses a measured hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer. The system also provides an input module that receives a desired curvature of the trailer. A controller of the system includes a curvature regulator determining a desired hitch angle based on the desired curvature and a steering angle of the vehicle. In addition, the controller of the system includes a hitch angle regulator generating a steering angle command based on the desired hitch angle and the measured hitch angle. In this embodiment, the controller is configured to operate the trailer backup assist system irrespective of the attached trailer having a conventional tongue or a gooseneck tongue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Pilutti, Roger Arnold Trombley, Michael Hafner, Matthew Y. Rupp, Douglas Scott Rhode, Darrel Alan Recker
  • Patent number: 8006839
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a container system having an outer shell defining a cavity that is configured to receive a first medical device component therein. A support tray is sized for receipt within the outer shell of the container system and is supported above the first medical device component. In one exemplary embodiment, the support tray defines a second cavity that may receive a second medical device component. In addition, a retention tray may be positioned within the cavity of the support tray and supported above the second medical device component. The retention tray facilitates the retention of the support tray within the outer shell and also facilitates the retention of the first and second medical device components in their desired positions within the container system. Additionally, positioned to extend across an opening in the outer shell is a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Hafner
  • Publication number: 20100140124
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a container system having an outer shell defining a cavity that is configured to receive a first medical device component therein. A support tray is sized for receipt within the outer shell of the container system and is supported above the first medical device component. In one exemplary embodiment, the support tray defines a second cavity that may receive a second medical device component. In addition, a retention tray may be positioned within the cavity of the support tray and supported above the second medical device component. The retention tray facilitates the retention of the support tray within the outer shell and also facilitates the retention of the first and second medical device components in their desired positions within the container system. Additionally, positioned to extend across an opening in the outer shell is a cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: ZIMMER, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Hafner