Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Kenneth James Miller

Douglas Raymond Martin

Thomas George Leone

Aed M Dudar

William Paul Perkins

Daniel Mark Schaffer

Jimmy Kapadia

John Eric Rollinger

Gopichandra Surnilla

Ted Haladyna

Jason Meyer

Xiaoyong Wang

Walter Joseph Ortmann

Alexander O'Connor Gibson

Matthew John Shelton

David B Kelley

Chris James Hocking

Charles James Miller

Jeffrey Allen Doering

Carol Louise Okubo

Christopher James Hocking

Michiel Jacques Van Nieuwstadt

Patrick Daniel Maguire

Mark W Peters

Cynthia M Neubecker

Saravanan Paramasivam

Scott James Thompson

Michael Glenn Fodor

Adil Nizam Siddiqui

Jonathan Diedrich

Kenneth John Jackson

Brad Alan Ignaczak

Derek Hartl

Somak Datta Gupta

Eric Michael Rademacher

Christopher John Teslak

Christopher Alan Lear

Kenneth L Pifher

Edward Badillo

John Curtis Hickey

Paul M Gartner

Chris D Kapolnek

Jude Berthault

Jeffrey Alan Palic

Haron Abdel-raziq

David Michael Bevan

Ross Dykstra Pursifull

Chris Paul Glugla

Jianbo Lu

Ryan Abraham McGee

Michael Howard Shelby

William David Treharne

Angel Fernando Porras

William Charles Ruona

Zhengyu Dai

Mark G Smith

Kevin Ruybal

James Eric Anderson

Kenneth Frederick

Paul Martin Niessen

Filip Tomik

Stephen Richard Burke

Thomas J Coupar

Mark Anthony Tascillo

Robert David Hancasky

David Beck

Darrell Erick Butler

Dale F Jordan, Iii

David James Liller

Thomas Joseph Cusumano

Bruce Colby Anderson

David Allen Clemens

Matthew Erich Von Der Lippe

Stan L Bower

Matt Smith

Lauren Angelina Martin

Stephen Li-Chun Shen

Eric J Bensen

John K Daniel

Methods and systems are provided for selectively disabling a stop-start function of a vehicle based on a predicted anxiety of a driver of the vehicle upon merging into transverse traffic. In one example, selectively disabling the stop-start function of a vehicle based on a predicted anxiety of the driver of the vehicle includes, when approaching an intersection having a first traffic pattern, disabling a stop-start function responsive to an estimated merging acceleration for the intersection exceeding a threshold acceleration rate of the vehicle.

Methods and systems for inhibiting stop-start functionality

Methods and systems are described for controlling output of a fuel cell that generates electrical power for an electric machine that propels a vehicle. In one example, a driver demand power reduction is anticipated and output of the fuel cell is adjusted before the driver demand power is reduced so that a greater amount of electric charge may be stored in an electric energy storage device.

Methods and system for operating a fuel cell vehicle

Methods and systems are provided for controlling an engine idle-stop based on upcoming traffic and road conditions. In one example, a method may include receiving data including traffic information and road characteristics immediately ahead of a vehicle from one or more remote sources, and adjusting one or more vehicle thresholds based on the received data. A duration of a prospective engine idle-stop may be estimated based on the received data and an engine idle-stop may be initiated based on the duration of the prospective engine idle-stop and the adjusted one or more vehicle threshold.

Methods and systems for controlling engine idle-stop

Disclosed herein is a system including a computer programmed to actuate a plurality of drones to first establish one or more electrical connections therebetween and then to provide a jump start to a vehicle.

Multi-drone ground vehicle jump start

This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for lifting drones to a desired height before launching. In one exemplary embodiment, a drone elevator system includes a looped cable that is engaged to a pair of pulleys. A first pulley of the pair of pulleys is coupled to a lighter-than-air craft and the second pulley is attached to a motor. The lighter-than-air craft moves upwards so as to raise the first pulley skywards and place the looped cable at an angle with respect to the ground. The motor is then operated to rotate the second pulley for moving the looped cable. The cable includes a set of tethers each of which is used to tether a drone. Each tether includes an extension arm that prevents the tethered drone from making contact with the cable when being lifted. Each tethered drone can be launched after being lifted to a desired height.

Drone elevator systems and methods

A renewable energy charging system for increasing the charging efficiency of an autonomous vehicle includes a computer programed to predict, in a vehicle at a plurality of locations, an amount of power generation associated with each location. The computer selects one of the locations based at least on the predicted amounts of power generation and moves the vehicle to the selected location.

Renewable energy vehicle charging

Systems and methods for stopping an engine of a vehicle are described. In one example, the method anticipates when an engine is expected to stop and modifies engine operation so that less fuel is in the engine's intake ports when the engine is stopped so that the fuel may not escape the engine when the engine is restarted.

Methods and system for stopping an engine

A vehicle includes a controller that may be configured to, responsive to receiving a delivery request associated with a drone, periodically transmit a current location, trip route information, and acceleration data of the vehicle to guide the drone to a rendezvous location, and responsive to receiving a proximity notification associated with the drone, open a delivery opening of the vehicle.

Method and apparatus for vehicle to drone interaction

Data are collected on a turbidity of a fuel tank at each of a plurality of fueling stations. A fueling station is selected based on the collected data. A vehicle is moved to the selected fueling station.

Enhanced vehicle refueling

Data are collected on at least one of a coolant temperature of a vehicle, an atmospheric ozone level, and air quality. A refueling time is determined based on the collected data. The vehicle is moved to a fueling station based on the refueling time.

Systems and methods for determining a vehicle elevation height for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle may include performing a quantitative balancing analysis using baseline factors, establishing optimal values for operational goals of a vehicle based on the quantitative balancing analysis, determining a vehicle elevation height that achieves the established optimal values for the operational goals of the vehicle by evaluating vehicle delivery parameters using normalized values, and initiating on a winch system elevation of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the determined vehicle elevation height for launching.

Systems, methods and devices for determining lift heights for launching unmanned aerial vehicles

A system includes an aerial drone. The aerial drone includes first and second electrically conductive end effectors. The first and second electrically conductive end effectors are electrically connected to a power source.

Jump start drone

Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes determining, via a processor, a remaining trip distance for an electric vehicle. The example method further includes determining, via the processor, a remaining expected range of the electric vehicle. The example method also includes transmitting a request for a mobile charging unit to meet the electric vehicle at a location when a ratio of the remaining trip distance to a remaining expected range exceeds a first threshold.

Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles

A vehicle includes a generator for supplying power to a load; and one or more controllers, programmed to responsive to detecting a fuel level reaching a predefined critical value, stop the generator and instruct a second vehicle to start to generate power, the vehicle serving as a pass-through conduit between the load and the second vehicle.

Vehicle power generator

A drone control method is provided. The method may be responsive to drone recharge energy cost being greater than a predefined threshold and include commanding a processor of the drone to execute actions that preclude the drone from recharging. The method may also be responsive to drone charge level falling below a charge threshold selected only while the drone recharge energy cost exceeds the predefined threshold and include commanding the processor to execute actions to recharge the drone.

Method and apparatus for economical refueling of drones

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Kenneth James Miller