Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Daniel Lewis Boston

Jacob Mathews

Phillip E Morris

Nayaz Khalid Ahmed

Jimmy Kapadia

Hadi Malek

Ali Soloukmofrad

Adrian Nania

James A Lathrop

Mohsen Lakehal-Ayat

Brett Stephens

Ghassan AlRegib

David McCreadie

Ahmed Elhadeedy

Ameen Al-khafaji

Michael Dennis

Khalid Ahmed

Min-Hung Chen

A method for optimizing climate control in an autonomous vehicle. The method includes receiving a ride request for an autonomous vehicle from a customer. A desired temperature for an interior of the autonomous vehicle may be determined based on the ride request. The current temperature of the vehicle interior may then be adjusted such that the current temperature substantially matches the desired temperature when the autonomous vehicle reaches the customer. The temperature of the vehicle interior may be allowed to deviate from the desired temperature, within a pre-determined temperature deviation range, when the autonomous vehicle is unoccupied. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Autonomous vehicle climate optimization

The present disclosure discloses a system and a method. In an example implantation, the system and the method can receive an image at a first deep neural network, estimate a distance between an object depicted in the image and a vehicle, wherein the first deep neural network estimates the distance, determine whether the estimated distance is greater than a predetermined distance threshold, and generate an alert when the estimated distance is not greater than the predetermined distance threshold.

Temporal CNN rear impact alert system

Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to a collaborative relationship between a UAV and an automobile. In a first exemplary method, a data capture system is provided in a UAV. The data capture system may be used to capture data when the UAV is in flight. A first computer in the UAV determines one or more limitations associated with wirelessly transmitting some or all of the data from the UAV to an automobile. The first computer may be further used to withhold wireless transmission of a portion of the data to the automobile due to the one or more limitations. The portion of data is transferred to a second computer in the automobile after landing the UAV on the automobile. In a second exemplary method, the UAV includes a communication relay system for relaying to an automobile, signals received from a satellite or a cellular base station.

Collaborative relationship between a UAV and an automobile

A server includes a memory storing a shared pool of user defined vehicle settings packages and may determine, from the shared pool, one or more settings packages meeting a search request. For each determined settings package, the server may determine compatibility of the determined settings package with configurable systems of a vehicle associated with the search request. The server may also present a selectable list of determined settings packages that are also determined to have a predefined minimum level of compatibility with the vehicle and download a selected settings package to the vehicle, responsive to selection of the selected settings package from the selectable list.

Customizable and distributable vehicle personas

A system includes a processor configured to determine that travel data, reflecting previous travel, exists for an upcoming route segment. The processor is also configured to derive a fuel-efficient control strategy for the upcoming segment, based on fuel efficient behavior reflected in the travel data. The processor is further configured to execute the control strategy in a vehicle while the vehicle travels over the route segment to instruct vehicle control in accordance with the control strategy for at least a portion of the segment.

Method and apparatus for improved vehicle control accommodating fuel economy

A vehicle includes a battery. The vehicle includes a controller configured to inhibit battery charge. The charge inhibition is responsive to state of charge (SOC) of the battery achieving a cascading ceiling threshold during grid charge that decreases each day of a multiday period such that each day an SOC increase during the grid charge to achieve the ceiling threshold is same and the SOC achieves a floor threshold upon completion of a final day drive cycle of the multiday period.

Variable charging strategy for plugin electric vehicles

Systems and methods for enforcing plugin vehicle parking regulations are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: capture parked vehicle images of a parked vehicle in a parking location from a plurality of cameras on electric vehicle service equipment systems (EVSEs) in a parking facility; compare the parked vehicle images to a plurality of plugin vehicle type images in a database; and sound an alarm if the parked vehicle is not a plugin vehicle or if the parked vehicle is not charging from the electric vehicle service equipment systems associated with the parking location within a predetermined time.

Systems and methods for enforcing plugin vehicle

An assembly includes a photovoltaic module including a solar cell and a cooling system including a heat pipe adapted to dissipate heat from the solar cell. A method includes dissipating heat from the solar cell using the heat pipe. The photovoltaic module may be disposed on a vehicle to convert solar energy into electricity.

Systems and methods for passively cooling photovoltaic modules

An exemplary charger positioning method includes, among other things, positioning a charging plug of a conductive charger relative to a charge port of a vehicle based on a wireless transmission between the conductive charger and the vehicle. An exemplary charger assembly includes a transmitter system associated with one of a vehicle or a conductive charger, a receiver system associated with the other of the vehicle or the conductive charger, and an actuator that moves a charging plug of the conductive charger to a charging position in response to a transmission from the transmitter system.

Vehicle charger positioning method and charger assembly

A computing device, programmed to: acquire a color image and transform the color image into a color-component map. The computer can be further programmed to process the color-component map to detect a traffic sign by determining spatial coincidence and determining temporal consistency between the color-component map and the traffic sign.

Color learning

A voltage quality module (VQM) function and a solar power generation function are integrated by sharing a single voltage converter (VC) within the electrical system of an automotive vehicle with an electric-start internal combustion engine. The cost of adding solar power generating capabilities to vehicles, the packaging complexities of the systems, and the number of added components are all decreased. The VC can be a DC-DC converter in a boost mode or a buck mode. A switching circuit selectably couples the VC between a main battery and an accessory bus or to between a solar panel and an auxiliary battery. A VC controller regulating a VC output using the main battery to stabilize an accessory bus voltage when in an engine crank mode and otherwise regulating the VC output to match an auxiliary battery voltage using the solar panel output.

Solar panel power point tracker integrated with vehicle electrical system

A glass roof system includes a first glass layer, a photovoltaic module, a switching film powered by the photovoltaic module, and a control module configured to selectively control the switching film based on a passenger cabin temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Daniel Lewis Boston