Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Evangelos P Skoures

Larry Dean Elie

John Wayne Jaranson

Michael Musa Azzouz

Robert F Novak

Timothy Jay Potter

Gerald J Heath

Jeff A Wallace

Gopichandra Surnilla

Richard E Soltis

Timothy Joseph Clark

Timothy Schram

Stuart C Salter

Daniel A Makled

Kristopher Karl Brown

Jacobus Hendrik Visser

Howard Paul Tsvi Linden

David Charles Weber

William Goodwin

Hao Zhang

Garry Anthony Zawacki

David James Scholl

David Bilby

Vidhushekhar Vasant Zambare

Zaid Alnaqash

A vehicle door system is disclosed. The system comprises an actuator, a power source, and a controller. The actuator is configured to adjust a position of a door. The controller is configured to control the actuator with energy provided by the power source. The controller is further configured to identify a charge level of the power source and compare the charge level to at least one threshold. In response the charge level being less than the at least one threshold, the controller is configured to output a warning signal.

Power management for vehicle door system

This disclosure details illuminating vehicle closure member systems for selectively producing various exterior lighting effects. Exemplary closure member systems may include a closure member and a discrete illuminating section secured relative to the closure member and including a lighting module that is configured to produce at least one of a beltline lighting effect, a motion path lighting effect, or an operation status lighting effect at or near the closure member. A control module may control the various lighting effects emitted by the illuminating closure member system.

Illuminating vehicle closure member systems for providing exterior lighting effects

Methods and systems are provided for an oxygen sensor heater. In one example, a method may include applying a less than maximum duty cycle of voltage to the oxygen sensor heater during an engine cold start (e.g., when a temperature of the oxygen sensor is less than its light-off temperature) and adjusting the applied duty cycle of voltage to maintain a constant amount of power. In this way, the oxygen sensor may be heated at a constant rate even as a resistance of the oxygen sensor heater increases, decreasing an amount of time before the oxygen sensor reaches its light-off temperature.

Systems and methods for reducing a light-off time of an oxygen sensor

A door assist system for a vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises an actuator configured to control a position of the door about a hinge assembly. An interference sensor forms a portion of a door opening seal and is configured to detect an obstruction in a plurality of detection regions. The system further comprises a controller configured to control the actuator in response to a detection signal from the interference sensor.

Seal based object detection for vehicle door assist system

Methods and systems are provided for predicting response time of a particulate matter (PM) sensor and resetting the PM sensor upon completion of response time prediction, independent of actual or predicted soot load on PM sensor. Soot accumulation data collected during steady state vehicle operation may be fitted with a time-based polynomial function and sensor output and regeneration schedule may be estimated from the curve fit even if the overall signal is noisy.

Methods and systems for prediction of sensor response time

Power Management for vehicle door system

A vehicle door system for a for-hire vehicle (FHV) and a method of calculating a transport fare includes providing a FHV having an actuator configured to adjust a position of a door relative to a door opening. An apparatus is configured to receive vehicle occupancy data. A controller is configured to process the vehicle occupancy data to determine the vehicle occupancy over the course of a passenger transport. The controller is further configured to calculate a transport fare as a function of the vehicle occupancy over the course of the passenger transport.

Multi-passenger door detection for a passenger transport

A vehicle door controller is disclosed. The vehicle door controller is in communication with an actuator configured to control a door and is further in communication with a temperature sensing device. The controller is configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensing device. Based on the temperature signal, the controller is configured to identify an actuator condition. In response to the actuator condition, the controller is configured to control the actuator to move the door to a resting position.

Temperature control for powered vehicle doors

A control system for a vehicle door includes a power assist device coupled between a door and a door opening of the vehicle and a sensor. The system further includes a controller that receives a signal from the sensor, identifies a recognized user from image data within the signal, interprets a control gesture by the recognized user from video data within the signal, and causes the power assist device to move the door in response to the control gesture.

System and method for gesture-based control of a vehicle door

A vehicle door system is disclosed. The system comprises an actuator, at least one communication circuit, and a controller. The actuator is configured to adjust a position of a door. The controller is configured to receive a request for the vehicle to retrieve an occupant via the communication circuit. The controller is further configured to receive an authentication signal via the communication circuit authenticating an identity of the occupant. In response to the authentication, the controller is configured to control the actuator to make the vehicle accessible to the occupant.

Mobile device control for powered door

Methods and systems are provided for determining an amount of alcohol in fuel injected into an engine based on outputs from an exhaust gas sensor. In one example, a method includes estimating a first fuel alcohol content based on an air-fuel ratio estimated with the exhaust oxygen sensor and estimating a second fuel alcohol content based on a change in sensor output during modulating a reference voltage of the exhaust oxygen sensor between a first and second voltage. The method further includes adjusting engine operation based on a difference between the first and second fuel alcohol contents.

Methods and system for fuel ethanol content estimation and engine control

Various methods and system are described for determining ambient humidity via an exhaust gas sensor disposed in an exhaust system of an engine. In one example, a reference voltage of the sensor is modulated between a first and second voltage during non-fueling conditions of the engine. The ambient humidity is determined based on an average change in pumping current while the voltage is modulated.

Methods and systems for humidity detection via an exhaust gas sensor

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting an engine operating parameter based on an output of a humidity sensor during a compressor bypass valve event. When the compressor bypass valve is closed, a current output of the sensor is used for the adjustments. When the compressor bypass valve is opened, such as to mitigate surge, an output of the sensor stored from before the opening of the bypass valve is used for the adjustments.

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Detroit, MI, United States of America

Evangelos P Skoures