Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Jeffrey Robert Seaman

Stuart C Salter

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Annette Lynn Huebner

David Brian Glickman

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Brendan F Diamond

Brian James Andonian

Frank J Desjarlais

Aaron Bresky

Shawn Carney

Daniel Grube

Joseph W Herman

Ralph R Jones

A pedestrian alerting system adapts alerting sounds emitted by a vehicle according to an acoustic environment around the vehicle. Echoes of the alerting sound in an enclosed space such as a garage can be irritating to the pedestrians and/or occupants of the vehicle. A sensor suite including radar, cameras, and/or a GPS locator detect confined spaces in which reflections result in a greater apparent loudness. Emitted loudness of the alerting sounds are reduced, wherein the reduction of the volume may be based on the size of the space.

Acoustic vehicle alerting system

A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a vehicle hammock and a thermal energy adjustment device of the vehicle hammock. A method of controlling thermal energy within a hammock includes, among other things, providing a vehicle hammock having a thermal energy adjustment device, and adjusting the thermal energy level of the vehicle hammock based, at least in part, on a thermal energy level outside the vehicle hammock.

Vehicle hammock and hammock thermal energy control method

An apparatus includes, among other things, a spare tire cover comprising an attaching ring configured to surround an outer circumference of a tire and a center panel that is attached to the attaching ring. At least one exciter is mounted to the center panel. A method includes, among other things, molding at least one temperature sensor to a center panel, mounting the center panel to enclose one open side of an attaching ring to form a spare tire cover, and mounting at least one exciter to the center panel to selectively generate a desired sound.

Spare tire with sound exciter

Exemplary deployable splash guard systems for motor vehicles may include features designed for blocking road spray. The deployable splash guard systems may include a flap that is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position for blocking the road spray. In the deployed position, the flap is positioned within a spray field of a tire of the motor vehicle and is therefore positioned to block the road spray from spraying onto a door handle and/or other structures of the motor vehicle. A control module of the deployable splash guard system may be programmed to utilize a sensor weighting scheme for accurately determining when to deploy the flap.

Deployable splash guard systems for motor vehicles

This disclosure details vehicle static body structure mounted side view mirror assemblies. The exemplary side view mirror assemblies may include features for supporting vehicle off-roading, such as a pivoting and telescoping mirror section, a wind wing, lighting features, snorkel features, and/or accessory mounts, etc. The exemplary side view mirror assemblies may also include features for supporting improved vehicle security, such as mirror mounted radar sensors capable of establishing a security protection zone about the vehicle.

Vehicle body mounted side view mirror assemblies with off-roading and vehicle security features

Exemplary spare tire cover systems for motor vehicles may include features for assisting in raising/lowering a spare tire to/from a vehicle mounted position. Exemplary system features may include, but are not limited to, a deployable ramp, a wheel stop, a wheel catcher, and a strut assembly for moving the deployable ramp between stowed and deployed positions. The spare tire cover systems may additionally include features designed for increasing the functionality of the system, including but not limited to integrated deployable steps and handrails, lighting, sensors, etc.

Spare tire cover systems for motor vehicles

In-vehicle transducers (speakers, sound exciters, or vibrating window panels) are used to generate the ultrasonic waves to repel pests, without driving away family pets or exposing nearby people. In one preferred method, a pest deterrent mode is activated in response to a first user command by emitting ultrasonic soundwaves from a transducer driven by an onboard audio system. A region around the vehicle is monitored for human-related activity within the region. The emission of ultrasonic soundwaves is deactivated when the human-related activity is detected. Emission of the ultrasonic soundwaves is resumed when the human-related activity is no longer detected. Then the pest deterrent may be set to a deactivated mode in response to a second user command.

Vehicular pest repeller

A water heating system for a vehicle includes, among other things, a container and an assembly of a vehicle. The assembly has a thermal energy level that increases as a result of operating the vehicle. The system further includes a path that communicates water back-and-forth between the container and the assembly to increase amount of thermal energy within water that is in the container, and an outlet configured to dispense water from the container for use by a user.

Vehicle water heating system and method

This disclosure relates to accessories configured to be supported by door strikers of motor vehicles. In particular, the accessories may be mounted to a motor vehicle when a traditional, or factory, door is removed. Some example accessories are useable as a step when mounted to the vehicle, and are also useable as a tool (i.e., as a shovel, flashlight, bit driver, socket wrench, and/or hex wrench) when removed from the vehicle.

Accessories supported by door strikers of motor vehicles

A system or method for controlling a vehicle having a normal operating mode and a performance operating mode include detecting a removable key unique to each vehicle associated with the performance operating mode, operating the vehicle in the performance operating mode in response to detecting the removable key, and operating the vehicle in the normal operating mode otherwise. Operation in performance or track mode may include adjusting valve timing using a variable cam timing device, adjusting idle speed control, adjusting torque response, and/or enhancing engine braking. Performance mode operation may also disable one or more features, such as a transmission skip shift feature.

Growing community of inventors

Brownstown, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey Robert Seaman