Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Peter Phung

Stuart C Salter

Ryan J O'Gorman

David Brian Glickman

Katherine Howard-Cone

Paul Kenneth Dellock

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Annette Lynn Huebner

William H Wurz

Adam Carlson

Hussein H Berry

Benjamin Solomon Richer

James Baumbick

Kenneth Patrick McHugh

Pietro Buttolo

Brendan F Diamond

David Kennedy

Lorne Forsythe

Erick Michael Lavoie

Hamid M Golgiri

William David Treharne

Darrel Alan Recker

Zeljko Deljevic

David Celinske

Sheran Anthony Alles

Jim Baumbick

Michael J Kipley

Solomon Lin

Clive Mckenzie

Peter Attila Farkas

A vehicle power system generates alerts prior to discontinuance of power to upfitter loads and vehicle loads according to a user defined priority sequence such that the alerts generated prior to discontinuance of power to the upfitter loads are different than the alerts generated prior to discontinuance of power to the vehicle loads.

Control and management of upfitter and vehicle loads

Charging cord assemblies for transferring power between electrified vehicles during in-flight bidirectional energy transfer events may include a cable including a wire bundle coated with a conductive foamed plastic shielding to establish a cable subassembly. The conductive foamed plastic shielding is configured to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) of the cable. Various cable routing arrangements may be utilized for routing the cable of the charging cord assembly during the in-flight bidirectional energy transfer events.

Charging cord designs and routing configurations for use during in-flight bidirectional charging of electrified vehicles

A vehicle component is identified based on a gaze direction of an occupant in a vehicle seat. A first direction of the vehicle seat is determined relative to a forward-facing direction of a vehicle. A second direction is determined from the vehicle seat to the vehicle component. Then, the vehicle seat is rotated based on an angle between the first direction and the second direction.

Vehicle component identification system

A vehicle configured to transfer energy to a building is disclosed. The vehicle may include a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver may receive temperature information and demand information associated with a power grid. The processor may determine that a first predefined condition may be met based on the demand information. The processor may then calculate a first amount of energy to be transferred to the building based on the temperature information, and cause the vehicle to transfer the first amount of energy to the building. The processor may further determine that a second predefined condition may be met based on the first amount of energy and/or vehicle availability information, and determine a second amount of energy to be transferred to the building based on the temperature information. The processor may then cause the vehicle to transfer the second amount of energy to the building.

Systems and methods for precooling a building using a vehicle

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for coordinating and executing in-flight energy transfer events between vehicles. Energy may be transferred from a towing or leading vehicle to a towed or trailing vehicle, from the trailing vehicle to the leading vehicle, or both during the in-flight energy transfer events. The proposed systems may further be configured to coordinate the terms and conditions of a service agreement between the leading and trailing vehicles, coordinate the publication of a service experience rating from a user of the leading and/or trailing vehicle, and/or coordinate the termination of the in-flight charging event by either user.

Systems and methods for providing in-flight charging of electrified vehicles

A vehicle winch control assembly includes, among other things, a winch, and a vehicle input device that is reassigned to control the winch. The vehicle input device can be an accelerator pedal. A vehicle winch control method includes, among other things, reassigning a vehicle input device, and, after the reassigning, controlling a winch using the vehicle input device.

Winch control using reassigned vehicle input device

A system to enable energy transfer from a vehicle to a building is disclosed. The system may include a memory, a transceiver and a processor. The memory may be configured to store a load profile associated with a building component. The transceiver may be configured to receive temperature information and vehicle information associated with the vehicle. The processor may obtain the temperature information, the load profile and the vehicle information. The processor may further determine an estimated amount of energy required to operate the building component based on the temperature information and the load profile. Furthermore, the processor may estimate a vehicle range based on the estimated amount of energy and the vehicle information and output the vehicle range on a user interface.

Systems and methods for enabling energy transfer from a vehicle to building

Systems and methods are provided for coordinating and controlling power flow during bidirectional energy transfer events between an electrified vehicle and one or more charging trailers. The systems and methods may prioritize energy transfers between each connected energy based on a charge priority selection that may be manually input by a user of the system. Charge energy may be transferred to the appropriate energy unit using such a manual approach to meet customer needs with varying levels of priority according to an energy transfer prioritization control strategy that is derived from various inputs that are considered.

Systems and methods for controlling power flow between electrified vehicles and charging trailers based on manually selected charge priority levels

A vehicle includes a body, an access aperture that is defined by the body, a closure panel, a load ramp, and a moisture sensor. The access aperture provides access to an interior of the vehicle. The closure panel selectively covers at least a portion of the access aperture. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a dosed position relative to the access aperture. The load ramp is deployably coupled to the closure panel. The load ramp includes a coupled end and a free end. The load ramp is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The moisture sensor is positioned proximate to the free end of the load ramp. Methods of controlling the vehicle are also disclosed.

Load ramp for a vehicle

A driver assistance system aids a driver in charging one or more trailer-mounted batteries in a trailer being towed by an electrified passenger vehicle. Many existing charging facilities for electric vehicles have charging stalls with a layout configured to accommodate single vehicles. Charging facilities having drive-through or elongated charging stalls able to accommodate larger vehicles which are towing an electrified trailer are much scarcer. When attempting to charge a trailer-mounted battery in a charging stall meant for a single vehicle, it may be necessary to unhitch (i.e., decouple) the trailer while in the charging stall so that the passenger vehicle does not block the aisles of a charging station. Sensors in the vehicle perform a sensor sweep of a selected charging stall, and after unhitching, the trailer uses an independent drive system to park itself in the selected charging stall using driving commands which are calculated from the sensor sweep.

Electrified vehicle trailer charging at single vehicle charging stalls

Systems and methods are configured for coordinating and providing passthrough charging during bidirectional energy transfer events between two or more electrified vehicles. The ability to pass charging power from one vehicle to another allows for multiple vehicles to be concurrently charged from a single charge source. Various passthrough charging strategies may be achieved with the proposed systems, including but not limited to, a distributed charging strategy, a waterfall charging strategy, a targeted charging strategy, an automated charging strategy, a pay-for-use charging strategy, etc.

Systems and methods for providing passthrough charging support during bidirectional energy transfers

Electrified vehicles are coupled together by a towing device for in-flight energy transfer. A remote-controlled parking system collects images from vehicle-mounted cameras to produce a 360° overhead live streaming image that is displayed on a smartphone linked to a vehicle controller. A user interface (UI) on the smartphone accepts a first touch from the user on the streaming image showing the vehicles at a starting position in order to specify a maneuver endpoint. The controller calculates a sequence of steering actions to create a path to the endpoint. The UI displays the calculate path as an overlay on the live image. The UI generates an activation signal in response to a second touch input on the touchscreen, and forwards the activation signal to the vehicle controller during the second touch input to move the vehicles according to the actuator commands only while the user maintains the second touch input.

Remote parking control for vehicles coupled in a towed recharging arrangement

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to receive data indicating a plurality of tasks to be performed at a site by a plurality of electric machines, receive charge statuses of the electric machines and of a plurality of first electric vehicles at the site, and generate an ordered allocation of a plurality of charging operations for the electric machines and first electric vehicles based on the plurality of tasks and on the charge statuses. The charging operations include charging at least one of the electric machines or first electric vehicles from a second electric vehicle with charge ports that is scheduled to visit the site from offsite.

Collective vehicle power management

A load ramp for a vehicle includes a corrugated layer that has a first surface and a second surface. A first layer is positioned adjacent to the first surface of the corrugated layer. A second layer is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the corrugated layer such that the corrugated layer is positioned between the first and second layers. A thickness of the load ramp can be in the range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm. A load capacity of the load ramp can be at least about 100 kg. A method of manufacturing the load ramp is also disclosed.

Systems and methods are provided for coordinating and controlling power flow during in-flight bidirectional energy transfer events between an electrified vehicle, one or more charging trailers, and optionally, one or more electrified recreational vehicles. The systems and methods may prioritize energy transfers between each connected energy unit based on various parameters, including but not limited to in-transit travel logistics, environmental information, time of day, etc. Charge energy may be transferred to the appropriate power source to meet customer needs with varying levels of priority according to an energy transfer prioritization control strategy that is derived from the various inputs that are considered.

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Windsor, Canada

Peter Phung