Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Edward Andrew Pleet

Brian Petersen

Yiping Xia

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Perry Robinson Macneille

Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin

Robert Bruce Kleve

Ritesh Pandya

Doron M Elliott

Douglas R VanDagens

David Marvin Gersabeck

Julius Marchwicki

Mounir Hider

Dragan B Stojkovic

Ryan J Skaff

David Anthony Hatton

Vladimir Vladimirovich Bogachuk

Colleen Hoffman

Aaron Peter Klop

Joseph Paul Rork

Jason Scott Balzer

Stephen Thomas Kozak

Bruno M Barthelemy

Rohit Telukunta

Mark John Jennings

Mary A Smith

Satish Ganti

Kelly Lee Zechel

Yevgeniya Sosonkina

Randal Henry Visintainer

Todd Mueller

Susan Curry

Thomas J Joseph

Naijiang Xu

Scott Mair

Gurminder Singh Bedi

William M Frykman

Elizabeth Profitt-Brown

Richard A Kirkdorffer

Leslie Anne Hersh

Martin Lopez, Jr

This disclosure details overmolded vehicle sheet metal structures that included integrated attachments for achieving part integration. An exemplary sheet metal structure includes a sheet metal panel, a reinforcing structure molded on the sheet metal panel, and an integrally molded attachment structure formed within the reinforcing structure. In some embodiments, the integrally molded attachment structure may include a nut, a bracket, or both. An additional vehicle component may be attached to the sheet metal panel via the integrally molded attachment structure. The sheet metal structure may be formed in a single shot injection molding process.

Overmolded vehicle sheet metal structures with integrated attachments

In at least one embodiment, a system for authorizing use of a vehicle communication and information system may include one or more data processors configured to receive information associating one or more devices with a vehicle computer. The data processor(s) may be also configured to receive information identifying a user requesting authorization to command the vehicle controls from the one or more devices associated with the vehicle computer. The user(s) may be authorized to command the vehicle controls from the one or more devices associated with the vehicle computer based on performing an authentication process for authenticating the user, determining that the user is an authenticated user based on the authentication process, and enabling command of one or more vehicle controls from the one or more remote devices via the associated vehicle computer based on the user being authenticated.

Methods and systems for authenticating one or more users of a vehicle communications and information system

A vehicle assembly including a vehicle body and a roof assembly is provided. The vehicle body may include a mid-pillar having a receiving region. The roof assembly may include a mid-pillar segment having an attachment end. The receiving region may be defined by a cutout having a base portion spaced from an adjacent vehicle body surface. The attachment end may be sized for disposal within the cutout for one or more fasteners to removably secure the mid-pillar segment to the mid-pillar. The receiving region and the attachment end may be arranged with one another such that the roof assembly is removably attachable adjacent a belt line of the vehicle body.

Vehicle roof joint assembly

A system includes a processor configured to communicate wirelessly with a mobile device, wherein the processor is further configured to receive output data from a navigation application running on the mobile device. The processor is also configured to send data back through the mobile device to a standardization system, including a request for standardization, running on a remote system, if the output data is in an unusable format. Also, the processor is configured to receive a standardized form of the data, having been standardized by the remote standardization system. The processor is further configured to process the standardized data to provide navigation directions through one or more vehicle outputs controllable by the processor.

Method and apparatus for normalizing navigation data for vehicle computing system playback

An computing device is configured to detect that a user device is approaching the vehicle. An identifier for the user device and an identifier for the vehicle is transmitted to a remote server. A model is used to generate settings data in the vehicle, wherein the model is generated at least in part based on the identifier for the user device and the identifier for the vehicle. At least one setting for the at least one component in the vehicle is generated according to the model, and is applied to the at least one component in the vehicle.

Multi-vehicle settings

A vehicle body component is provided. The vehicle body component includes an extruded elongate member that has a longitudinally extending cross section. The elongate member includes a first section that extends along a first axis, a second section that extends from the first section along a second axis, and a third section that extends from the second section along a third axis, wherein the first axis and the third axis are non-coplanar with respect to each other.

Extruded vehicle body component

A system for outputting visual data from a mobile device application on a mobile computing device to a vehicle display, the system comprising a wireless transceiver for communicating signals between a mobile computing device and a vehicle computing system having a graphical display. The vehicle computing system is configured to receive caller identification from the mobile computing device identifying a mobile device application configured to operate with the vehicle computing system. The vehicle computer system is also configured to receive a signal from the mobile computing device representative of a visual indication to be displayed on the vehicle display. The vehicle computer system may determine a location to display the visual indication on the display and output the visual indication on the vehicle display at the determined location.

Method and system of outputting in a vehicle data streamed by mobile applications

A system for attenuating vehicle audio for mobile application audible statements, the system comprising a vehicle computing system having one or more processors for playing audio in the vehicle from a plurality of different audio sources. The system also includes a wireless transceiver for communicating signals from a mobile computing device for processing by the vehicle computing system. The vehicle computing system is configured to receive a wireless signal from the mobile computing device representative of an audible statement to be played in the vehicle. If the vehicle computing system is playing audio in the vehicle at the time the wireless signal is received from the mobile computing device, determine an amount to attenuate the audio based on the source of the audio. Attenuate the audio and play the audible statement based on the determination.

System and method of arbitrating audio source streamed by mobile applications

A computer-implemented method includes establishing a road network model on which a plurality of simulated vehicles may be run. The method also includes setting up a plurality of scenarios under which vehicle driving conditions vary to be run on the road network model. The illustrative method includes receiving energy usage related data for a plurality of simulated vehicles run in at least one of the plurality of scenarios on the road network model. The method further includes calculating a total energy consumption for each of the vehicles. The method additionally includes repeating the receiving and calculating steps to determine how various elements of the road network model and scenarios effect vehicle energy consumption.

Methods and apparatus for estimating power usage

A fender for a vehicle includes a body portion and a seal portion. The body portion presents an outer surface and an inner surface facing opposite the outer surface. The seal portion extends from the inner surface and is flexible relative to the body portion. The body portion is formed of a first material and the seal portion is formed of a second material different than the first material. The seal portion is integral with the body portion.

Fender for a vehicle including a body portion and a flexible seal portion

One or more embodiments may include a method for remotely obtaining information about an energy source of a vehicle. Information identifying one or more vehicles and one or more drivers of the vehicles may be received at one or more computing devices remote from a vehicle. Instructions from the one or more remote computing devices may be transmitted requesting information from the identified vehicle(s) about a status of an energy source for the identified vehicle(s). The status information may be received at the remote computing device(s). Based on the energy source status information and the driver identifying information, a vehicle energy source status with respect to one or more attributes of the vehicle drivers may be calculated. Additionally, the vehicle energy source status may be displayed at the one or more devices.

Methods and systems for monitoring a vehicle's energy source

The illustrative embodiment contains a key fob configured to communicate wirelessly with a vehicle and a communication network. The key fob further includes, a first transceiver configured to communicate data to the vehicle to allow access and operation of the vehicle and to receive data indicating that an emergency event has been detected at the vehicle. The key fob also includes a second transceiver configured to access a telecommunications network. Additionally, the key fob contains a circuit configured to cause the second transmitter to automatically dial a 911 operator in the event the data received by the transceiver indicates that an emergency event has been detected at the vehicle.

Vehicle key fob with emergency assistant service

Growing community of inventors

Livonia, MI, United States of America

Edward Andrew Pleet