Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Nicholas Colella

Allen R Murray

Joshua R Wheeler

Tuan Anh Be

Pietro Buttolo

Omar Makke

Scott Andrew Amman

Andrea Bowes Chowanic

Joseph Wisniewski

Perry Robinson MacNeille

David Alan Hamilton

Dave A Herman

Kevin Lee Helpingstine

Aiswarya Kolisetty

Matthew S Blackburn

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam

David Michael Herman

Oliver Lei

Vivekanandh Elangovan

Cynthia M Neubecker

Ashwin Arunmozhi

Nunzio Decia

Stephen Jay Orris, Jr

Ritesh Pandya

David Richard Tengler

Leo James Lanctot

Colleen M Cauvet

Matt Jones

A vehicle includes a plurality of RADAR modules arranged at a common side of a plurality of sides of the vehicle and configured to detect an obstruction in a region exterior to the vehicle. A first RADAR module is on a left portion of the common side and has a first field of view. A second RADAR module is on a right portion of the common side and has a second field of view. A third RADAR module is between the first and second RADAR modules and is spaced from the first RADAR module by a first distance and spaced from the second RADAR module by a second distance. The third RADAR module has a third field of view at least partially overlapping each of the first and second fields of view. Control circuitry triangulates a position of the obstruction between a pair of the plurality of RADAR modules.

Detection system for a vehicle

A vehicle includes a radio receiver configured to receive emergency alert messages initiated by an alerting authority and broadcast by an alerting disseminator. The radio receiver is normally inactive when the vehicle is in the dormant state. A user monitor is configured to track a user during a time that the vehicle is in the dormant state to detect whether the user remains in the vehicle or is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle. A controller coupled to the radio receiver and to the user monitor is configured to activate the radio receiver during the dormant state when the user is present. The controller detects the existence of a relevant emergency alert message and initiates an annunciation signal which is generated by the vehicle and perceptible to the user to inform the user that the relevant emergency alert message is available.

Emergency alerts via parked vehicles

Disclosed are systems and methods that uses a window as a keypad entry system that functions as a replacement for a keyless entry keypad in a vehicle. The system includes a vehicle window functional as a keypad using piezoelectric transducers that capture resonance from the vehicle window when pressure waves (e.g., generated by voice commands or taps) impact the glass. A transducer controller amplifies the vibrations from the vehicle window user tap or spoken commands and triangulates the signal to localize a position of the origination point of the tap, which may be mapped to a respective numeric or cardinal input value. The system may include a low power mode that receives input while the vehicle is off.

Systems and methods for piezoelectric sensor microphone window keypad entry

Disclosed is a system that uses a window as a microphone as a replacement for keyless entry to a vehicle. The system includes a window which acts as a microphone using a piezoelectric transducer that captures resonance on an outside surface of the vehicle window when pressure waves (e.g., voice commands or taps) impact it. To recognize this sound, a transducer controller amplifies vibrations from the window tap or spoken commands. The system may include a low-power mode that listens for input while the vehicle is off. In a second, high-power mode, the system may detect a tapping event, which may prompt a transition to a wake-up state. The system may associate a number and timing of taps with unique user keys, similar to key selections of numbers on a keypad. The system may also recognize verbal PIN code input using the piezoelectric transducer microphone.

Systems and methods for windows as a microphone keypad entry

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for automated multimodal delivery. Example methods may include determining information associated with the delivery; determining, based on at least a first portion of the information, that a first confidence level indicative of a delivery capability using a first vehicle is above a first threshold; and determining, based on at least a second portion of the information, a second confidence level indicative of a delivery preference for delivery using the first vehicle relative to a second vehicle.

Systems and methods for automated multimodal delivery

Methods and apparatus to determine a predicted wait time at a commercial point-of-interest for an estimated time-of-arrival are disclosed. An example method includes determining an estimated time-of-arrival of a vehicle at a commercial point-of-interest and obtaining current wait-time data and historical wait-time data for the estimated time-of-arrival for the commercial point-of-interest. The example method includes determining, via a processor, a predicted wait time for the estimated time-of-arrival based on the current wait-time data and the historical wait-time data and communicating the predicted wait time to a user interface of the vehicle.

Predicting a point-of-interest wait time for an estimated time-of-arrival

A system includes a processor configured to determine that a telematics control unit component temperature is above a predefined maximum temperature. The processor is also configured to send a message to a remote communication server notifying the server that packet communication will be disabled and disable packet communication, responsive to the determination. The processor is further configured to enable binary user-data-embedded SMS message handling for remote commands received from the server, responsive to disabling the packet communication.

Method and apparatus for component temperature control through switching

A system includes a processor configured to wirelessly instruct fuel dispensation initiation over a direct wireless connection between a vehicle and a refueling truck, responsive to a wireless request made by the refueling truck, the request including a valid token and a refueling truck MAC ID with which the wireless connection is established.

Method and apparatus for secure processing of fuel delivery requests

The present disclosure relates to parking systems and parking methods. One parking system may include: a vehicle having an accelerator, brakes, wheels, sensors, a display, a processor, and memory; a parking assist program stored in the memory and configured to: receive dimensions of a parallel parking spot and the vehicle, project, based on the received dimensions, whether the vehicle can: exit the parallel parking spot with a future leading block, and exit the parallel parking spot with a future trailing block.

Parallel parking assistant

An automated system is provided for closing a closure of a motor vehicle. That automated system includes a plurality of closures, a plurality of closure modules for opening and closing that plurality of closures and a control module. The control module is configured to monitor a transmission state of the motor vehicle and an open/close state of the plurality of closures and then close an open closure of the plurality of closures when the transmission is shifted out of park and the open closure is detected. A related method is also provided.

Automated system for closing a closure of a motor vehicle based upon transmission state

Systems and methods are disclosed for an emergency corridor utilizing vehicle-to-vehicle communication. An example disclosed system includes an emergency vehicle, infrastructure nodes distributed across a municipal area, and an emergency router. The example emergency router selects a route from a first location of the emergency vehicle to a second location specified by an emergency request. The example emergency router also determines ones of the infrastructure nodes that are along the route. Additionally, the example emergency router instructs the ones of the infrastructure nodes to broadcast emergency messages. The emergency messages include information regarding the route and the emergency vehicle.

Emergency corridor utilizing vehicle-to-vehicle communication

A vehicle computer system, comprising a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a mobile device. The vehicle computer system further comprises a processor configured to output an alert to a driver of a vehicle indicating a location of a hazardous area when the vehicle is in a pre-defined distance from a boundary of a geo-fence of the driver defining the hazardous area, and activate a vehicle function addressing the hazardous area based upon the vehicle entering a boundary of the geo-fence.

Geofencing application for driver convenience

A vehicle may include a plurality of antennas each associated with a different radio frequency; and a modem including a radio-frequency transceiver and an antenna control processor configured to selectively connect a selected one or more of the plurality of antennas having a radio frequency matching at least one frequency associated with a desired service provider to the transceiver. The vehicle may also determine whether a service-provider-recommended alternate frequency is available, responsive to service provider signal strength being below a predefined signal strength; and if so, direct the modem to switch to an antenna associated with the alternate frequency, and otherwise, cycle to a next available antenna frequency.

Service provider adaptive vehicle antenna

An occupant communication system (OCS) and control method giving rear row occupant experience and full control to allow unimpeded access to a vehicle's features typically provided to the front row occupants. The OCS having a rear zone master controller controlling a plurality of selected vehicle subsystems within the occupant communication system and a front zone controller in electrical communication with the rear zone master controller that is controlled by the rear zone master controller. A communications module communicates with the rear zone master controller and the front zone controller wherein the rear zone master controller, the front zone controller, and the communications module are in operative communication with one another and with a vehicle communications network via the communications module to control the plurality of selected vehicle subsystems such that the rear zone master controller enables, disables, or limits control of the front zone controller via the communications module.

Growing community of inventors

Grosse Ile, MI, United States of America

Nicholas Colella