Patents by Inventor Robert Schroeter

Robert Schroeter 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).

  • Publication number: 20250222900
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a camera configured to capture images through a window of the vehicle, a window clearing system operable between a clearing operation and a cleaning operation, and includes a wiper configured to move along the window in the clearing operation and the cleaning operation, and an interface for manually activating the clearing operation. Control circuitry configured to detect an obstruction on the window based on the images, classify the obstruction as water or debris, detect manual operation of the wiper, determine a wear condition during manual operation of the wiper and based on classification of the obstruction as debris, and communicate a signal to indicate the wear condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2024
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jake Schwartz, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter
  • Publication number: 20250224509
    Abstract: A detection system for a target vehicle includes a camera capturing images of a region external to the target vehicle, a RADAR module that scans the region to detect a depth of a splash event in the region, an actuator configured to operate in response to a response signal and control circuitry configured to determine a distance between the target vehicle and a front of the splash event based on the images, compare the front of the splash event to the depth to determine an intensity of the splash event, and communicate the response signal based on the intensity of the splash event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2024
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Jake Schwartz, Aaron L. Mills
  • Publication number: 20250147202
    Abstract: A weather detection system for a vehicle includes a weather sensor configured to sense an environmental condition of a region external to the vehicle in an operable state, an actuator for controlling a response to the environmental condition, a network interface configured to access weather data from a vehicle fleet, and control circuitry in communication with the weather sensor and the actuator. The control circuitry is configured to access the weather data via the network interface, compare the weather data to the environmental condition, detect an inoperable state of the weather sensor based on the comparison, and control the actuator based on detection of the inoperable state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Jake Schwartz, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider
  • Patent number: 12293507
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an insulation system of a stator. In one example, a method may include receiving images of the stator at a processor of a computing system and processing the images by converting the images to one or more of cluster-only images and binary masks. The images may be fed to an artificial intelligence (AI) model to obtain one or more of varnish estimates and void estimates to generate a training dataset which may be used to train a deep learning tool to estimate varnish fill percentages from the images and display the varnish fill percentages at a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Seth Avery, Chris Wolf, Jackson Lenz, Boratha Tan
  • Publication number: 20250136063
    Abstract: A vehicle including a detection unit and a processor is disclosed. The detection unit may be configured to capture images outside the vehicle. The processor may obtain inputs from the detection unit, and determine that the vehicle may be within a predefined distance of a car wash entry point associated with a car wash station. The processor may determine a first action to be performed when the vehicle is within the predefined distance. The first action includes one or more steps. The processor may be configured to output a first notification to perform a first step, determine that the first step is completed, and output a second notification to perform a second step responsive to a determination that the first step is completed. The processor is further configured to determine that the second step is completed, and output a third notification when the first and second steps are completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Jake Schwartz
  • Patent number: 12269398
    Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one camera that captures at least one image of a region external to the vehicle. The vehicle includes an environmental control system of the vehicle having at least one of lighting control and climate control for the vehicle. The vehicle includes control circuitry configured to process a first set of images of the plurality of images at a first sampling rate, determine a brightness condition of the region external to the vehicle based on processing the first set of images, process a second set of images of the plurality of images at a second sampling rate different than the first sampling rate, detect a shift in the brightness condition based on the second set of images, and control the environmental control system in response to the shift in the brightness condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Justin Miller, Anna Marie-Sophia Hoff
  • Publication number: 20250065846
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a window separating a compartment of the vehicle from a region external to the vehicle. The window includes an outer surface. An imaging device is in the compartment and configured to capture an image of the region external to the vehicle through the window. Control circuitry is in communication with the imaging device and configured to receive the image from the imaging device, detect an obstruction in the image data corresponding to a substance on the window, and generate an output in response to the detection of the obstruction, wherein the imaging device is disposed within 50 millimeters (mm) from the window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Justin Miller, Jake Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20250065865
    Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one imaging device that captures an image of a plurality of roadway lanes in a region external to the vehicle. The vehicle includes control circuitry in communication with the at least one imaging device. The control circuitry is configured to receive the image from the imaging device, detect a splash event in the region external based on the image, determine a target lane of the plurality of lanes for the vehicle to move based on the splash event, and generate an output indicating the target lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Jake Schwartz, Justin Miller
  • Publication number: 20240416718
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a compartment having a first space having a first environmental condition and a second space having a second environmental condition. At least one camera captures a first image of a first part of a region external to the vehicle and a second image of a second part of the region. The first part of the region aligns with the first space, and the second part of the region aligns with the second space. An environmental control system of the vehicle has at least one of lighting control and climate control. Control circuitry is configured to determine brightness conditions of the region based on the first image and the second image and control the environmental control system to adjust the environmental conditions based on the brightness conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2023
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Justin Miller
  • Publication number: 20240416849
    Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one camera that captures at least one image of a region external to the vehicle. The vehicle includes an environmental control system of the vehicle having at least one of lighting control and climate control for the vehicle. The vehicle includes control circuitry configured to process a first set of images of the plurality of images at a first sampling rate, determine a brightness condition of the region external to the vehicle based on processing the first set of images, process a second set of images of the plurality of images at a second sampling rate different than the first sampling rate, detect a shift in the brightness condition based on the second set of images, and control the environmental control system in response to the shift in the brightness condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2023
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Justin Miller, Anna Marie-Sophia Hoff
  • Publication number: 20240404292
    Abstract: A vehicle having a windshield and a camera is disclosed. The camera may be configured to capture a first image of a vehicle surrounding area through the windshield. The vehicle may further include an image processing module configured to determine a plurality of gradients associated with a plurality of pixels in the first image and an unfocused object present in the first image based on the plurality of gradients. The image processing module may be further configured to generate a binary image using the first image responsive to determining the unfocused object. The vehicle may further include a processor configured to determine a droplet presence on the windshield based on the binary image and perform a predefined action responsive to determining droplet presence on the windshield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Justin Miller
  • Publication number: 20240391425
    Abstract: A vehicle having a windshield, a wiper and a vehicle camera is disclosed. The wiper may be configured to clean the windshield and the vehicle camera may be configured to capture a windshield image and a ground image. The vehicle may further include a processor that may obtain the windshield image and the ground image from the vehicle camera at a predefined sampling frequency. The processor may determine that the windshield and ground may be wet based on the windshield image and the ground image. The processor may actuate the wiper at a predefined speed based on a determination that both the windshield and the ground may be wet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Justin Miller, Anna Marie-Sophia Hoff, Jeff Scott Lossing, Abdalla Abdel-Rahman
  • Patent number: 12136397
    Abstract: A brightness management system for a vehicle includes a network providing wireless communication for a vehicle environment, a mobile device in the vehicle environment and including a first light detector for detecting a first light level at a first location of the mobile device, at least one vehicle display coupled with the vehicle and having at least one brightness level, and control circuitry communicatively coupled with the mobile device and the at least one vehicle display via the network. The control circuitry is configured to detect the first location of the mobile device in the vehicle, receive an indication of the first light level from the mobile device, and communicate a signal to adjust the at least one brightness level of the at least one vehicle display based on the first location and the first light level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jake Schwartz, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Arun Dutta
  • Publication number: 20240278357
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining pre-weld image data of the electric motor stator from one or more image sensors; performing a welding process in response to obtaining the pre-weld image data, obtaining post-weld image data of the electric motor stator from the one or more image sensors in response to performing the welding process, obtaining epoxy image data of the electric motor stator from the one or more image sensors in response to obtaining the post-weld image data, performing a difference-based image processing routine based on the post-weld image data and the epoxy image data to generate a digital twin of the electric motor stator, and determining one or more epoxy characteristics of the electric motor stator based on the digital twin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2023
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Michael Oelscher
  • Publication number: 20240112351
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an insulation system of a stator. In one example, a method may include receiving images of the stator at a processor of a computing system and feeding the images to a deep learning tool to generate processed images by segmenting and cropping the images according to slots identified in the images. Further, the varnish in the processed images may be quantified based on fluorescence of the varnish, converted into estimated varnish fill percentages, based on an output from analysis of the processed images, and the estimated varnish fill percentages may be displayed in a report.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Seth Avery, Chris Wolf, Jackson Lenz, Boratha Tan
  • Publication number: 20240112319
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an insulation system of a stator. In one example, a method may include receiving images of the stator at a processor of a computing system and processing the images by converting the images to one or more of cluster-only images and binary masks. The images may be fed to an artificial intelligence (AI) model to obtain one or more of varnish estimates and void estimates to generate a training dataset which may be used to train a deep learning tool to estimate varnish fill percentages from the images and display the varnish fill percentages at a display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Seth Avery, Chris Wolf, Jackson Lenz, Boratha Tan
  • Publication number: 20240111276
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for verifying a deep learning tool for evaluating a varnish condition of a stator. In one example, a method for verifying the deep learning tool includes receiving images of replicas of a stator section at a processor of a computing system, the replicas of the stator section having different predetermined varnish fill percentages. The images are process and analyzed by the deep learning tool to output estimated varnish fill percentages. The estimated varnish fill percentages may be compared to the predetermined varnish fill percentages and a notification recommending at least one of further training of the deep learning tool and adjustments to an imaging setup for acquiring the images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Ife Siffre
  • Publication number: 20240112350
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an insulation system of a stator. In one example, a method may include receiving images of the stator at an automated tool implemented at a processor of a computing system, the images depicting slots in in an inner surface of the stator, and processing the images using image processing and deep learning algorithms to provide processed images. The processed images may be input to an artificial intelligence (AI) model of the automated tool, the AI model trained to identify varnish in the processed images. obtained two-dimensional presentation of varnish distribution may be output from the AI model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Robert Schroeter, Jackson Lenz, Boratha Tan, Ife Siffre