Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

John Loring Yester

Davorin David Hrovat

Hongtei Eric Tseng

Michael Glenn Fodor

Minh N Tran

Ming Lang Kuang

Daniel Scott Colvin

Krishnaswamy Venkatesh Prasad

Craig John Simonds

John H Tanzer

Michael A Weyburne

Ngoc Minh Tran

A system and method are provided for selectively setting one or more variable vehicle operating parameters or features by storing information representative of user/driver preferences on a portable information storage device, and later recalled to automatically adjust the same or other system or device to the same setting(s). Examples of such systems or devices includes seat position, mirrors, radio presets, climate control settings, Web sites, bookmarks, and mobile telephone presets. The personalized &ldquo;settings&rdquo; are thus available to be transported and transferred where desired by the possessor of the device.

Method and system for maintaining personalization of user adjustable features

An apparatus and method for measuring dynamic movement of a vehicle ( ) by employing multiple GPS satellites and determining velocity based change in the carrier frequency of multiple satellite signals. The apparatus includes at least two GPS receiving antennas ( and ) installed on a vehicle ( ) at known locations and a controller ( ) for processing received GPS signals ( ) and monitoring a carrier frequency associated with the GPS signals. The controller ( ) determines a change in the carrier frequency of the GPS signals due to Doppler effect. The controller ( ) further determines a first inertial velocity vector of each of the receiving antennas ( and ) based on the change in carrier frequency, and determines angular rate of the vehicle based on the inertial velocity vectors. The controller ( ) further determines vehicle longitudinal and lateral velocity and acceleration as a function of the inertial velocity vectors.

Vehicle dynamics measuring apparatus and method using multiple GPS antennas

A method for determining road bank angle in vehicle includes a lateral acceleration sensor ( ) that generates a first signal corresponding to lateral acceleration. A yaw rate sensor ( ) generates a second signal corresponding to a yaw rate signal. A controller ( ) coupled to the sensors performs the step of calculating a first bank angle estimate dependent on the first signal, calculating a second bank angle estimate dependent on the second signal, calculating a third bank angle estimate dependent on both the first and second signals, calculating a dynamic compensation factor based as a function of the first bank angle estimate, the second bank angle estimate and the third bank angle estimate, decomposing the third bank angle estimate into a plurality of third bank angle frequency layers, reducing each of the plurality of third bank angle frequency layers in response to a multiplicative factor, said multiplicative factor being a function of the dynamic compensation factor to obtain a plurality of reduced third bank angles, and calculating a final bank angle bias estimate based on a sum of the plurality of reduced third bank angles.

Method for robust estimation of road bank angle

In a shifting mechanism housed in a case a first relatively rotating member rotates about an axis. A second relatively rotating member is selectively coupled and decoupled with the first member. A selector is moveable for actuating the coupling to mutually connect and disconnect the members. A resilient connection is provided between the coupling and selector. A method for shifting multi-speed axles without significant driver interaction by automatic synchronization is also provided.

Method for shifting multi-speed axles

GPS sensors (,) arranged in certain geometries in an automotive vehicle (,) to provide information that is processed by an on-board processor (,) to derive parameters useful for warning, control, and/or documentation

On-board GPS sensors systems

A vehicle traction control system is controlled in-part by a signal value indicative of estimated wheel torque. The estimated wheel torque value is produced within the vehicle's electronic engine control (EEC) module by summing a first value which indicated the estimated torque attributable to engine combustion and a second value which is proportional to engine acceleration/deceleration which indicates the amount of torque attributable to the inertial movement of engine and drive train masses. Before summing the two signal components, the signal which indicates combustion torque is delayed with respect to the signal indicating inertial torque by a delay interval whose duration varies with engine speed to take into account the delay between intake fuel rate changes and combustion forces as well as delays attributable to the timing of the calculations themselves.

Vehicle control system employing improved methods and apparatus for

A method of controlling the driving wheels of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine wherein it is determined if a vehicle stuck or not and then, if stuck, the maximum permissible amount of wheel slip is increased with the intent of removing loose material, such as snow, underneath the tires. If the vehicle remains stuck and wheel slip continues, the amount of driving power and torque to the wheels is then reduced. Conversely, if the spin is not present at the subsequent gas pedal application (tip-in), and the vehicle is still stuck, the wheel torque limit is increased.

Traction control for moving a vehicle from deep snow

A vehicle traction controller includes engine control and brake control routines to improve vehicle traction. The engine control routine reduces average slip of driven wheels of the vehicle by retarding spark timing and by reducing air flow into the engine via an electronically controlled throttle. The engine control routine is entered if the average wheel speed of the driven wheels is above a predetermined threshold speed. Control of spark timing is performed by a Proportional-Differential (PD) control technique. The electronically controlled throttle is controlled by a Proportional-Integral-Differential (PID) control technique. The brake control routine operates to reduce the rotational speed of the driven wheel which has the highest rotational speed. The brake control routine is entered if one of the driven wheels has a rotational speed which is greater than a maximum desired speed and if the difference in speed between the driven wheels is greater than a maximum difference value. A PD control technique is employed to determine the amount of braking force generated by the brake control routine. Braking force generated by the brake control routine is gradually reduced when the rotational speed of each of the driven wheels falls below a threshold value.

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Bloomfield Hills, MI, United States of America

John Loring Yester