Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Mark Davison

Mark Steven Yamazaki

Bernard D Nefcy

Chen Zhang

Joseph F Stanek

John Anthony Lockwood

Jason Meyer

Jeffrey Alan Palic

Lisa Scott

Ming Lang Kuang

Yanan Zhao

Manoharprasad K Rao

Kwaku O Prakah-Asante

Mathew Alan Boesch

Li Xu

Tobias John Pallett

Hsin-Hsiang Yang

Mark Douglas Malone

Stuart N Ford

George Edmund Walley

Donald Charles Franks

Sarra Awad Yako

Yu Ling

Brian Thomas Soo

Matthew Joseph Meinhart

A vehicle system comprises a hitch ball mounted on a vehicle and a controller configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer. The controller is further configured to control motion of the vehicle aligning the hitch ball with the coupler position and monitor a height of the coupler relative to the hitch ball. In response to the coupler height being less than a height of the hitch ball, the controller is configured to stop the motion of the vehicle.

System and method for trailer height adjustment

A hybrid powertrain includes a traction battery and a controller. The controller is programmed to, responsive to a current vehicle speed exceeding a first threshold, reduce a parameter indicative of state of charge (SOC) of the battery by an offset amount that varies with an amount of predicted distance for which a predicted vehicle speed profile is less than a second threshold to prompt charging of the battery to increased SOC values.

System and method for adjusting battery state of charge parameters

A hybrid electric vehicle having a powertrain including an engine and an electric machine, and controllers configured to derate powertrain output torque below a nominal maximum to a fault-torque limit, in response to a vehicle fault or issue. The vehicle and controllers are also configured to transiently increase powertrain torque output above the fault-torque limit in response to a torque demand that exceeds the limit, and which is needed to enable a predicted vehicle maneuver. The controller also establishes a predicted duration for the predicted interim vehicle maneuver and for override of the fault-torque limit and delivery of the additional torque from the torque-demand signal and other signals. The predicted duration includes a time span to maneuver through roadway obstacles and traffic, but does not exceed a limited operation time or a limited power output established by the controller from the vehicle issue or fault identified by the fault signal.

Vehicle powertrain controller and method

A computer is programmed to determine a target brake torque that is below a preset holding brake torque and at least high enough to hold a vehicle at standstill; and upon detecting that a brake of the vehicle is applied and a speed of the vehicle is below a threshold, monotonically reduce a brake torque of the brake so that the brake torque reaches the target brake torque when the speed reaches substantially zero.

Braking system

A motor vehicle comprises an HVAC system including a climate control circuit coupled to onboard sensors, a human-machine interface, and climate actuators. The actuators are responsive to respective command parameters generated by the control circuit in response to the sensors and the human-machine interface. A wireless communication system transmits vehicle HVAC data to and receives crowd data from a remote server. The control circuit initiates a request for crowd data via the communication system to the remote server, wherein the request includes peer parameters for identifying a vehicle environment. The control circuit receives a response via the communication system from the remote server. The response comprises crowd data and at least one weight indicating a confidence level associated with the crowd data. The control circuit generates at least one command parameter using a set of fuzzy rules responsive to the crowd data and the weight from the response.

Adaptive control of automotive HVAC system using crowd-sourcing data

A vehicle comprises a hybrid powertrain includes an electric machine coupled between an automatic gearbox and an engine. The vehicle includes paddle shifters configured to output a driver requested gear change. The hybrid powertrain is configured to selectively operate in an economy mode that optimizes fuel economy. While operating in the economy mode, a controller may selectively inhibit the driver requested gear change when the change may negatively impact fuel economy. In the economy mode, the driver requested gear change may be inhibited during a demand for braking. If the driver requested gear change is a downshift request, the downshift is inhibited and simulated using electric machine torque.

Paddle shifter control of hybrid powertrain

Systems and methods for operating a transmission of a hybrid powertrain that includes a motor/generator are described. The systems and methods may classify transmission degradation in response to an estimated transmission input shaft speed that is determined from transmission output shaft speed. In one example, transmission degradation may be correctable transmission degradation, partial transmission degradation, and continuous transmission degradation.

Methods and system for mitigating undesirable conditions during regenerative braking

Systems and methods for operating a transmission of a hybrid powertrain that includes a motor/generator are described. The systems and methods may adjust one or more actuators in response to an estimated transmission input shaft speed that is determined from transmission output shaft speed. The one or more actuators may include a transmission clutch, the motor/generator, or a gear selection solenoid.

Methods and system for operating a powertrain during regenerative braking

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, inhibiting operation of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle based on a proximity of the vehicle to a fueling location.

System and method for inhibiting engine operation during fueling

Data is collected from vehicle sensors to generate a virtual map of objects proximate to the vehicle. Based on the virtual map, an in-vehicle computer determines a traffic condition in front of and behind a host vehicle. The in-vehicle computer determines collision avoidance maneuvers. The computer instructs vehicle control units to implement the collision avoidance maneuvers. The computer may additionally or alternatively communicate the collision avoidance maneuvers to a driver via an interface. In the case of unavoidable collisions, the computer determines and initiates damage mitigation actions.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Mark Davison