Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

David A McNamara

Andrea Bowes Chowanic

George Tom Calvas

Noel A Walker

Parshuram G Date

Peter W Misangyi

Jeffery L Vajgart

Joe C Attard

Robert P Stinar

Roger S Heitzeg

A navigation system for automotive vehicles generates navigation routes between an initial location and a desired destination using a route criteria including a statistical risk index, such as a CAP crime index score. A user of the navigation system can customize their own desired risk threshold to be used in optimizing the navigation route. A particular route segment with a risk index above a risk threshold can be eliminated from potential routes except when the route segment contains the destination or is a freeway segment. In another embodiment, the weight or cost associated with including a route segment in a navigation route is adjusted according to its statistical risk index.

Vehicle navigation route generation with user selectable risk avoidance

Engine lubricating oil temperature and the amount of engine usage are used to calculate when engine lubricating oil has reached the end of its predicted wear life. Each spark (engine speed) pulse is multiplied by weighting factors that are periodically determined by sampling the engine oil temperature and the length of time the engine has been in continuous use above a predetermined speed. When the value of the accumulated weighted spark pulses has reached a predetermined level, a warning signal is provided to indicate the necessity of changing the engine lubricating oil.

Method and apparatus for determining engine oil change intervals

An improved key and lock assembly in which an electronically coded circuit is embedded in the handle of a conventional key and at least one electrical terminal extends from the handle adjacent to and electrically isolated from the key shank so as to contact a similarly located and biased terminal on the lock assembly when the key is fully inserted therein.

Programmable key and improved lock assembly

A transducer for converting a pressure variation to a variation in the frequency of a periodic function includes a reference oscillator and a sensor oscillator coupled to a digital mixer. The reference oscillator includes a reference capacitor and reference resistor for providing a reference periodic electrical signal having a frequency which is a function of the reference timing capacitor and reference resistor. Similarly, the sensor oscillator has a variable sensor timing capacitor and a sensor resistor for providing a sensor periodic electrical signal having a frequency which is a function of the variable sensor timing capacitor and sensor resistor. The digital mixer generates a mixed periodic electrical signal having a frequency proportional to the difference between the reference and sensor electrical signals. The transfer function of the transducer relates pressure and frequency and is adjustable by adjustment of the magnitude of the reference and sensor resistors.

Circuit for converting pressure variation to frequency variation

The specification teaches a method for calibrating a transducer for converting pressure variation to a frequency variation of a periodic electrical signal. The transducer includes a reference signal source and a sensor signal source which are combined in a mixer. The method includes the steps of applying a first reference pressure to the transducer and measuring the first sensor signal frequency and applying a second reference pressure to the transducer and measuring a second sensor frequency. The reference signal frequency is measured during at least one of the applications of the first or second reference pressure. An actual, uncalibrated transfer function is calculated defining the mixer output signal frequency as a function of pressure. The slope of the actual transfer function is altered to a desired, calibrated slope by changing the magnitude of a resistor in the sensor signal source. The frequency axis intercept is altered to a desired, calibrated frequency intercept by changing the magnitude of a resistor in the reference signal source. The method permits calibration of the transducer to a desired transfer function thereby making possible identical transfer functions for a plurality of mass produced units.

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Saline, MI, United States of America

David A McNamara