Patents by Inventor Michael Ehlert

Michael Ehlert 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: 11893838
    Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for troubleshooting an electronic system of a vehicle includes receiving a diagnostic trouble code set into a diagnostic system. The diagnostic trouble code set includes one or more diagnostic trouble codes. The method includes receiving diagnostic specifications. The diagnostic specifications associate connector pins and wires of the electronic system with possible diagnostic trouble codes. The method includes receiving wiring circuit specifications. The wiring circuit specifications associate wiring circuits of the electronic system with the connectors of the electronic system. The method includes determining a set of possible repair locations based on the diagnostic trouble code set, the diagnostic specifications, and the wiring circuit specifications, and displaying at least one possible repair location of the set of possible repair locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Ehlert, Adam Rainey, Robert S. Kern, Beau Stephen Troychak
  • Patent number: 11677258
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an auxiliary battery configured to power an electrical accessory, a traction battery configured to provide power to propel the vehicle, a winch including a motor and cable, and a controller configured to, responsive to a requested torque of the motor being less than a threshold, initiate transfer of power to the motor from the auxiliary battery, and initiate transfer of power to the motor from the traction battery otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Ehlert, Joseph Confer
  • Patent number: 11292430
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically securing a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle and/or the contents of the vehicle after a bailout by the driver. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to use a sensor system to detect that a driver of a vehicle has bailed out of the vehicle. Based at least in part on detecting that the driver has bailed out of the vehicle, the computer can execute operations such as automatically locking a door of the vehicle, logging out a computer located in the vehicle, locking a first component inside the vehicle such as a gun vault, and/or disabling an operation of another component in the vehicle such as a trunk release or an ignition switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Kern, Adam Rainey, Steve Skikun, Arie Groeneveld, William Gubing, Jon Ohland, Michael Ehlert
  • Publication number: 20210272393
    Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for troubleshooting an electronic system of a vehicle includes receiving a diagnostic trouble code set into a diagnostic system. The diagnostic trouble code set includes one or more diagnostic trouble codes. The method includes receiving diagnostic specifications. The diagnostic specifications associate connector pins and wires of the electronic system with possible diagnostic trouble codes. The method includes receiving wiring circuit specifications. The wiring circuit specifications associate wiring circuits of the electronic system with the connectors of the electronic system. The method includes determining a set of possible repair locations based on the diagnostic trouble code set, the diagnostic specifications, and the wiring circuit specifications, and displaying at least one possible repair location of the set of possible repair locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Ehlert, Adam Rainey, Robert S. Kern, Beau Stephen Troychak
  • Publication number: 20200369283
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically detecting an impending bailout from a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to detect a driving pattern of the vehicle that would indicate that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out. The driving pattern can include an acceleration sequence and a braking sequence that is indicative of a police chase or an emergency response situation. In another exemplary method, the computer may determine that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out based on detecting one or more cue words uttered by the driver or included in a conversation over a radio communications device between the driver and a person outside the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Kern, Steve Skikun, Jon Ohland, Adam Rainey, Michael Ehlert, William Gubing, Arie Groeneveld
  • Publication number: 20200369240
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically securing a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle and/or the contents of the vehicle after a bailout by the driver. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to use a sensor system to detect that a driver of a vehicle has bailed out of the vehicle. Based at least in part on detecting that the driver has bailed out of the vehicle, the computer can execute operations such as automatically locking a door of the vehicle, logging out a computer located in the vehicle, locking a first component inside the vehicle such as a gun vault, and/or disabling an operation of another component in the vehicle such as a trunk release or an ignition switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Kern, Adam Rainey, Steve Skikun, Arie Groeneveld, William Gubing, Jon Ohland, Michael Ehlert
  • Patent number: 10829127
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically detecting an impending bailout from a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to detect a driving pattern of the vehicle that would indicate that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out. The driving pattern can include an acceleration sequence and a braking sequence that is indicative of a police chase or an emergency response situation. In another exemplary method, the computer may determine that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out based on detecting one or more cue words uttered by the driver or included in a conversation over a radio communications device between the driver and a person outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Kern, Steve Skikun, Jon Ohland, Adam Rainey, Michael Ehlert, William Gubing, Arie Groeneveld
  • Publication number: 20200244091
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an auxiliary battery configured to power an electrical. accessory, a traction battery configured to provide power to propel the vehicle, a winch including a motor and cable, and a controller configured to, responsive to a requested torque of the motor being less than a threshold, initiate transfer of power to the motor from the auxiliary battery, and initiate transfer of power to the motor from the traction battery otherwise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Michael EHLERT, Joseph CONFER
  • Patent number: 10710596
    Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically detecting an impending bailout from a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to detect a driving pattern of the vehicle that would indicate that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out. The driving pattern can include an acceleration sequence and a braking sequence that is indicative of a police chase or an emergency response situation. In another exemplary method, the computer may determine that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out based on detecting one or more cue words uttered by the driver or included in a conversation over a radio communications device between the driver and a person outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Kern, Steve Skikun, Jon Ohland, Adam Rainey, Michael Ehlert, William Gubing, Arie Groeneveld