Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Kirsen J Quan

Sathyanarayana Chary Palakonda

Pietro Buttolo

Ivan Vukovic

Ronald M Lovasz

Jeremy Rawlings

Rajan Eadara

Craig Rackers

Matthew Ryan Preston

Roy Jacob

Jeffrey Wallat

Jeff Crist

Dan Ondrus

Adam Merz

Stephen Ludwig

Anthony Konovaliv

Lee Mitchell Tome

A vehicle including a rear closure, a detection unit and a notification unit is disclosed. The rear closure may move between a closed state and an open state. The detection unit may detect vehicle access device position in proximity to the vehicle. The notification unit may output visual and/or audible notifications. The vehicle may further include a processor that may determine that the vehicle access device has entered a predefined zone in proximity to a vehicle rear portion based on inputs from the detection unit. The processor may activate the notification unit to output notifications for a predefined time duration responsive to determining that the vehicle access device has entered the predefined zone. The processor may further determine a time duration the vehicle access device stays in the predefined zone. The processor may cause the rear closure to open when the time duration is greater than the predefined time duration.

Systems and methods for controlling vehicle rear closure

Path-based approach to passive vehicle entry is provided. A vehicle receives messages over a first protocol from a mobile device, each of the messages indicating a heading of the mobile device and a current location of the mobile device. The vehicle and the mobile device pair responsive to the current location of the mobile device being within a first threshold distance to the vehicle. Responsive to the heading indicating that the mobile device is headed towards the vehicle and the current location of the mobile device being within a second threshold distance from the vehicle, the second threshold distance being closer to the vehicle than the first threshold distance, the vehicle activates one or more second transceivers to perform time of flight distance measurement between the vehicle and the mobile device to obtain more precise positional accuracy, and otherwise maintains the one or more second transceivers in a deactivated mode.

Path-based detection of user approach for passive entry

This disclosure describes systems and methods for hands-free liftgate activation. An example method may include receiving a liftgate activation signal. The example method may also include receiving first data from a sensor of a vehicle at a first time and second data from the sensor at a second time. The example method may also include determining that a first difference between a second value associated with the second data and a first value associated with the first data is greater than a first threshold amount. The example method may also include disabling, based on the determination that the first difference is greater than the first threshold amount, activation of a liftgate of the vehicle. The example method may also include receiving third data from the sensor. The example method may also include determining that a second difference between a third value associated with the third data and the first value is less than a second threshold amount. The example method may also include enabling, based on the determination that the second difference is less than the second threshold amount or a determination that a first timer has elapsed, activation of the liftgate.

Systems and methods for hands-free liftgate activation

A two layer sound deadening material is formed from pumpable material applied through a pair of extrusion heads mounted on a single mount. A robot, used in high speed mass production automotive assembly lines, moves the door panel relative to the stationary extrusion heads to allow the simultaneous application of the two layers onto the interior side of the door. The first layer is formed of a thermosetting composition containing epoxy, rubber and a catalyst and adheres directly to the door panel. The second layer is formed of a thermosetting composition containing an epoxy resin, a thermo plastic copolymer and a curative which will adhere directly to the first layer due to similar chemical structures. The second layer is positioned such that the edges thereof are inside of the corresponding edges of the first layer to prevent read through transmission of noise from the body or door panel.

Two layer pumpable sound deadener

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

Kirsen J Quan