Patents by Inventor Thaddeus HILL

Thaddeus HILL 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: 11845438
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The engine is configured to generate power to propel the vehicle. The transmission has gears and clutches configured to shift between the gears. The controller is programmed to operate the clutches during wide-open throttle events to upshift the gears at shift points corresponding to engine speeds. The controller is further programmed to adapt the shift points by increasing the shift points over a series of the wide-open throttle events from initial values to mature values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Conor Edward Sullivan, Markian Oleh Diakiw, Kurt Howard Nickerson, Thaddeus Hill, Cory Benson Laroche, Donald Gerald Levens
  • Patent number: 11226035
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a powerplant, at least one drive wheel, a transmission, and a controller. The powerplant is configured to generate power to propel the vehicle. The transmission is configured to deliver power from the powerplant to the at least one drive wheel. The controller is programmed to, in response to a scheduled upshift of the transmission and detection of a set of conditions that are indicative of the vehicle climbing while on loose terrain, override upshifting the transmission and maintain a current gear of the transmission. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the scheduled upshift of the transmission and non-detection of at least one condition of the set of conditions that are indicative of the vehicle climbing while on loose terrain, upshift the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thaddeus Hill, Markian Oleh Diakiw, Robert Kowalske
  • Patent number: 10953892
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline that includes a step ratio transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that may be operated in a step ratio mode are disclosed. In one example, engagement speeds for transmission gears are adjusted as a function of vehicle mass, road grade, and requested braking torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thaddeus Hill, Markian Oleh Diakiw, Jeffrey Randolph Holmes, Kurt Howard Nickerson
  • Publication number: 20200391758
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline that includes a step ratio transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that may be operated in a step ratio mode are disclosed. In one example, engagement speeds for transmission gears are adjusted as a function of vehicle mass, road grade, and requested braking torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Thaddeus Hill, Markian Oleh Diakiw, Jeffrey Randolph Holmes, Kurt Howard Nickerson
  • Patent number: 10479334
    Abstract: A vehicle brake system includes a brake control device, a vehicle acceleration sensor, and a trailer brake controller. The trailer brake controller outputs an initial trailer brake torque demand based on an input received from the brake control device and adjusts the initial trailer brake torque demand to converge a signal from the vehicle acceleration sensor to an expected negative acceleration value correlated with the input from the brake control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thaddeus Hill, Joe Alexander Bousamra, Lawrence Robert Rhein
  • Publication number: 20180339685
    Abstract: A vehicle brake system includes a brake control device, a vehicle acceleration sensor, and a trailer brake controller. The trailer brake controller outputs an initial trailer brake torque demand based on an input received from the brake control device and adjusts the initial trailer brake torque demand to converge a signal from the vehicle acceleration sensor to an expected negative acceleration value correlated with the input from the brake control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thaddeus Hill, Joe Alexander Bousamra, Lawrence Robert Rhein
  • Patent number: 9855936
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle includes, in response to vehicle speed being approximately zero and a driver braking torque request being greater than a park interlock threshold, commanding vehicle brakes to provide an augmented braking torque. The augmented braking torque has a magnitude that is greater than the magnitude of the braking torque request. The braking torque returns to the level of the driver braking torque request following completion of a gear shift event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Bousamra, Charles William Suter, Thaddeus Hill
  • Publication number: 20170120880
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle includes, in response to vehicle speed being approximately zero and a driver braking torque request being greater than a park interlock threshold, commanding vehicle brakes to provide an augmented braking torque. The augmented braking torque has a magnitude that is greater than the magnitude of the braking torque request. The braking torque returns to the level of the driver braking torque request following completion of a gear shift event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Joseph BOUSAMRA, Charles William SUTER, Thaddeus HILL