Patents by Inventor Shane Elwart

Shane Elwart 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: 10160281
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a sensor configured to detect a first road feature, an adjustable suspension system, and a processing device. The processing device is configured to determine, using a drive history map, a location of the vehicle based on the first road feature and apply a suspension profile to the suspension system. The suspension profile is associated with a second road feature identified by the drive history map, which is at a different location from the first road feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Scott Rhode, Shane Elwart, Nanjun Liu, Thomas Edward Pilutti
  • Patent number: 10161760
    Abstract: A method for providing path attributes to controllers in a vehicle includes managing a subscription list that indicates what type of messages or data to which each of a plurality of controllers of a vehicle are subscribed. The method includes determining a future driving path for the vehicle and determining forward path attributes for the future driving path based on a drive history. The method includes selecting one or more controllers from the plurality of controllers to receive each of the forward path attributes based on the subscription list. The method includes providing each of the forward path attributes to the selected one or more controllers. The forward path attributes are provided using a common protocol for each of the plurality of controllers and two or more of the plurality of controllers receive a specific path attribute via a single message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Vincent Myers, Shane Elwart, David A Herman
  • Publication number: 20180319402
    Abstract: Embodiments include a vehicle system comprising a display capable of displaying a message indicating automatic activation of a driver assistance feature; at least one electronic control unit configured to determine whether preset driving conditions are met; and a processor configured to cause the display to display the message upon receiving a notification indicating satisfaction of the conditions, initiate a countdown, and automatically activate the driver assistance feature upon completion of the countdown. Embodiments also include a method of activating a driver assistance feature in a vehicle. The method includes receiving, at a processor, a notification indicating satisfaction of preset driving conditions; in response, displaying, on a display, a message indicating automatic activation of the driver assistance feature; initiating a countdown, using the processor; and automatically activating the driver assistance feature, using the processor, upon completion of the countdown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron L. Mills, John Shutko, Shane Elwart, Timothy D. Zwicky, Nitendra Nath, Justin Teems
  • Publication number: 20180313655
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for network-based storage of vehicle and infrastructure data for vehicle optimization are disclosed. A method includes receiving sensor data from a vehicle sensor, uploading the sensor data to a network, and storing the sensor data in a vehicle map database. The method includes downloading aggregated drive data from the network and storing the aggregated drive data in the vehicle map database. The method includes optimizing a vehicle route based on route costs for a plurality of potential driving routes based on a reliability of an automated driving feature or driver assistance feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Brett Stephens, Jonathan Thomas Mullen, Shane Elwart
  • Patent number: 10108191
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for a driver interactive system for semi-autonomous modes of a vehicle. An example disclosed vehicle with semiautonomous features includes memory and a processor. The example processor causes the vehicle to determine, with a driver identification sensor, the identity of a driver. The example processor also causes the vehicle to determine which semiautonomous features are flagged for training based on a driver profile of the identified driver. Additionally, the example processor causes the vehicle to, in response to the driver activating one of the flagged semiautonomous features, provide an audiovisual description of the semiautonomous feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Pilluti, Shane Elwart, Aaron L. Mills, John Shutko
  • Patent number: 10108197
    Abstract: A current state of a vehicle can be identified. At least a minimum acceleration capability of the vehicle is determined. A desired acceleration profile to follow is determined based at least in part on the minimum acceleration capability. An acceleration of the vehicle is controlled based at least in part on the desired acceleration profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Scott J. Lauffer, John P. Joyce, Tobias John Pallett, Andrew Brown, Shane Elwart, Wayne Williams
  • Patent number: 10088844
    Abstract: A wearable computing device in a vehicle is identified by a computer in a vehicle. Collected data is received relating to autonomous operation of the vehicle. A message is sent to the wearable computing device based at least in part on the collected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Douglas Scott Rhode, Matt Y. Rupp, John Shutko, Roger Arnold Trombley, Hongtei Eric Tseng, Andrew Waldis
  • Patent number: 10088322
    Abstract: An example vehicle system includes a speed sensor that measures a speed of a host vehicle and a processing device programmed to compare the speed to a speed threshold and determine an amount of time the speed is below the speed threshold. The processing device detects the presence of a traffic control device based on the amount of time the speed is below the speed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Homayoun Jamshidi Nekou, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Shane Elwart
  • Patent number: 10054454
    Abstract: A method for routing a vehicle includes determining, based on aggregated drive data from a plurality of sources, route costs for a plurality of potential driving routes for a vehicle based on reliability of an automated driving feature or driver assistance feature. The method includes selecting a route of the one or more potential driving routes based on the route costs. The method includes providing information about the route to a driver, automated driving system, or driver assistance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brett Stephens, Jonathan Thomas Mullen, Shane Elwart
  • Patent number: 10035498
    Abstract: A vehicle camera cleaning system includes an air source and a computer processing unit configured to communicate with the air source. The air source is configured to apply an air flow to a lens of a camera. The camera includes a successive and repeated operational mode and non-operational mode. The computer processing unit includes a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions to cause the computer processing unit to transmit a signal to the air source to actuate the air flow based on the camera being in the non-operational mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Richardson, James Robert McBride, Gaurav Pandey, Shane Elwart
  • Publication number: 20180204463
    Abstract: A computer is programmed to score a requested vehicle lane change and actuate vehicle components to perform the lane change upon determining that the score is less than a predetermined threshold within the predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ahmad Khalifeh, Shane Elwart, Mark Douglas Malone, Levasseur Tellis, Shadi Jammoul
  • Publication number: 20180196428
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for a driver interactive system for semi-autonomous modes of a vehicle. An example disclosed vehicle with semiautonomous features includes memory and a processor. The example processor causes the vehicle to determine, with a driver identification sensor, the identity of a driver. The example processor also causes the vehicle to determine which semiautonomous features are flagged for training based on a driver profile of the identified driver. Additionally, the example processor causes the vehicle to, in response to the driver activating one of the flagged semiautonomous features, provide an audiovisual description of the semiautonomous feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Pilutti, Shane Elwart, Aaron L. Mills, John Shutko
  • Patent number: 9969389
    Abstract: A confidence value is determined for data collected for a lane assist subsystem in a vehicle. A section curvature is identified for a section of a roadway when the confidence value is below a confidence value, threshold. The section curvature includes at least one section start point and at least one section end point. The section curvature is based at least in part on a heading angle, the heading angle defining an angle between a projected line of travel of the vehicle and a line segment from a vehicle position to the section end point. A distance to a lane boundary is predicted based at least in part on the identified section curvature. One or more vehicle subsystems is actuated based at least in part on the predicted distance to the lane boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brett Stephens, Shane Elwart, Joseph Walter Neal
  • Patent number: 9925988
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a computer. The computer is programmed to command application of one of up to a predetermined steering torque value and up to a predetermined net asymmetric braking force value. Each predetermined force is selected to achieve a predetermined vehicle yaw torque that is at most the lesser of a first maximum yaw torque resulting from actuating a steering system and a second maximum yaw torque resulting from actuating a brake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FLORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy D. Zwicky, Shane Elwart, Michael Hafner, Xingping Chen, Paul James Novak, Jiyi Liu, Andy Chuan Hsia, Levasseur Tellis, Greg Blaisdell Stevens
  • Publication number: 20180058871
    Abstract: A method for providing path attributes to controllers in a vehicle includes managing a subscription list that indicates what type of messages or data to which each of a plurality of controllers of a vehicle are subscribed. The method includes determining a future driving path for the vehicle and determining forward path attributes for the future driving path based on a drive history. The method includes selecting one or more controllers from the plurality of controllers to receive each of the forward path attributes based on the subscription list. The method includes providing each of the forward path attributes to the selected one or more controllers. The forward path attributes are provided using a common protocol for each of the plurality of controllers and two or more of the plurality of controllers receive a specific path attribute via a single message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Scott Vincent Myers, Shane Elwart, David A. Herman
  • Publication number: 20180051998
    Abstract: A method for routing a vehicle includes determining, based on roadway section information for two or more potential driving routes for a vehicle, a first route along which a driver assistance feature or an automated driving feature will not be available and a second route along which the driver assistance feature or the automated driving feature will be available. The method further includes providing navigation instructions for the second route to a driver or control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Brett Stephens, Jonathan Thomas Mullen, Shane Elwart
  • Publication number: 20180043891
    Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptive cruise control based on user defined parameters are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a GPS receiver configured to provide a location of the vehicle, an adaptive cruise control; and a cruise control adjuster. In the example cruise control adjuster is configured to generate an action when a cruise control event is defined for the location. In the disclosed example the cruise control event is based on past changes to the adaptive cruise control at the location. The example cruise control adjuster is also configured to apply the action to the adaptive cruise control to change how the adaptive cruise control controls the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Pilutti, Shane Elwart, Johannes Geir Kristinsson, David Hamilton
  • Patent number: 9863777
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive information relating to a vehicle location. The processor is also configured to determine one or more filters, based on the received information, for filtering out a plurality of non-specified locations from varied location types. Further, the processor is configured to apply filters for each varied location type to select a plurality of non-specified locations. The processor is also configured to calculate an estimated time of arrival (ETA), for each of the selected locations, and deliver the selected locations and the calculated ETAs to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Elwart, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Timothy Mark Feldkamp
  • Patent number: 9851212
    Abstract: A method for routing a vehicle includes identifying one or more driving routes between a current location of a vehicle and a destination. The method includes determining a route cost for the one or more driving routes based on lane marking quality of a roadway within a corresponding driving route. The method includes selecting a route of the one or more routes with a lowest route cost. The method includes providing information about the route to a driver or control system for following the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brett Stephens, Jonathan Thomas Mullen, Shane Elwart
  • Patent number: 9846050
    Abstract: A method for providing path attributes to controllers in a vehicle includes determining a location of a vehicle and a future driving path for the vehicle. The method includes determining, based on a drive history for the vehicle or a driver of the vehicle, drive history path attributes for the future driving path. The method also includes providing the drive history path attributes to a plurality of controllers via a controller bus, wherein the drive history path attributes are provided to the plurality of controllers using a common protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Vincent Myers, Shane Elwart, David A Herman