Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

M Scott Christensen

Michael Bastanipour

David Hancock

John Eric Rollinger

Adam J Richards

Alan Gutowski

Curtis Mark Jones

Peter Mitchell Lyon

Nicholas Herhusky

Steve T Skikun

Frank Fusco

Stephen Michael White

Fred Koberstein

Alexander O'Connor Gibson

Scott Thompson

Venkatesh Krishnan

Manfred Koberstein

Scott James Thompson

Adam Krach

Scott Steadmon Thompson

Hani Mohammad Ayesh

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, adjusting a position of a sun shade based on at least one of an ambient temperature outside of the vehicle and a sun load of the vehicle, and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.

Method and system for a vehicle sanitizing mode

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.

Methods and systems are provided for enhancing and delivering engine sounds to a vehicle cabin based on a selected mode. In one example, a method may include adjusting openings of one or more valves fluidically coupling one or more corresponding engine regions to a sound tube of a sound enhancing system based on the selected mode. Throttle opening may also be adjusted to compensate for air routed from the engine regions to the sound tube instead of flowing to the engine cylinders.

Sound enhancing system

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing an actuator of a variable inlet compressor coupled in an electric turbocharger. During torque transitions, an electrical power consumption of an electric boost assist motor is observed and used to infer an actual compressor speed and pressure ratio across the compressor. By comparing the measured pressure ratio to a compressor map, it may be determined if the actuator is stuck open or stuck closed.

Variable inlet compressor diagnostics

Systems and methods for operating an internal combustion engine are described. In one example, an engine's position is adjusted during engine stopping so that the engine may be less likely to stop at a crankshaft angle where rotating a fuel pump may increase engine cranking torque due to work performed by the fuel pump.

Methods and system for stopping and starting a vehicle

A vehicle propulsion system includes an engine arranged to output a first torque to a driveshaft and an electric motor arranged to output a second torque to the driveshaft. The vehicle also includes an automatic transmission arranged to receive an input torque from the driveshaft. The vehicle further includes an exhaust system to output combustion byproduct from the engine. A vehicle controller is programmed to, during deceleration, cause the engine to apply a negative first torque to increase an audible exhaust system sound. The controller is also programmed to activate the electric motor to output a positive second torque such that the input torque to the automatic transmission does not exceed a transmission torque threshold during deceleration.

Vehicle exhaust sound control systems and methods

Systems and methods for detecting and mitigating belt slip of an engine front end accessory drive are described. In one example, three different signals are input to a weighted average filter to determine the presence or absence of belt slip so that quality of an indication of belt slip may be improved.

Methods and system for diagnosing belt slip of an engine front end accessory drive

Systems and methods for operating an engine and a transmission to reduce a catalyst light off time are disclosed. In one example, clutches of a transmission are operated to provide a desired load to the engine so that engine combustion stability may be improved while supplying heat to a catalyst so that the catalyst light off time may be reduced.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

M Scott Christensen