Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Methode Electronics, Incorporated

Rinku Patel

Andrew D Niedert

Anton Rogness

Elliott Pearson

Peter Simeon Lazarevski

Salvador Padilla

Joshua Rajasingh

Christopher Melgar

Johannes Gießibl

Chad Reed

Jared Shroyer

Phil Lenius

Eric Schaus

Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle weight are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a suspension airbag, a pump fluidly coupled to the suspension airbag, the pump to control a fluid pressure in the suspension airbag to cause ride height adjustments for a vehicle, a motor operatively coupled to the pump, and processor circuitry to calculate a weight of the vehicle based on an offset between (a) a first motor input that causes the vehicle to rise or lower when the vehicle is unloaded and (b) a second motor input that causes the vehicle to rise or lower when the vehicle is carrying a load.

Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle weight

Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle weight are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a vehicle controller configured to control a motor operatively coupled to a suspension system to raise or lower a vehicle. The vehicle controller is to also determine a first parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to raise or lower the vehicle when the vehicle is unloaded. The vehicle controller is to also determine a second parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to raise or lower the vehicle when the vehicle is at least partially loaded. The vehicle controller is to also calculate a weight of the vehicle based on the first and second parameters of the motor.

Acceleration data is received for each of a plurality of times t. . . t, from one or more components in a host vehicle. A traffic jam assist (TJA) system is based on the acceleration data, thereby actuating one or more of steering, braking, and propulsion.

Enhanced traffic jam assist

Systems and methods for magnetoelastic hitch receiver force detection are disclosed. An example vehicle includes a chassis, a trailer hitch receiver configured to receive a trailer hitch arm along an axis, a first pin having a first magnetic field, the first pin disposed above and perpendicular to the axis, a second pin, the first pin and the second pin coupling the trailer hitch receiver to the chassis and a first sensor configured to detect changes in the first magnetic field.

Systems and methods for magnetoelastic hitch receiver force detection

A suspension system includes a leaf spring, an actuator attached to the leaf spring, and an axle mount attached to the actuator. The actuator is disposed vertically between the leaf spring and the axle mount and is actuatable to change a distance between the leaf spring and the axle mount.

Ride-height adjustment with leaf spring

Systems and methods for determining force direction and magnitude acting on a trailer hitch are disclosed. An example vehicle includes two magnetoelastic pins, having respective magnetic fields, configured to couple a trailer hitch receiver to a vehicle chassis. The vehicle also includes a plurality of sensors corresponding to the two magnetoelastic pins, configured to detect changes in the respective magnetic fields. And the vehicle further includes a processor configured to determine a magnitude and direction of a force acting on the trailer hitch receiver based on data from the plurality of sensors.

Methods, apparatus, and systems for automotive drive mode operation are disclosed. A disclosed method includes receiving information relating to a condition of a vehicle from a vehicle sensor module, comparing the information to a drive mode threshold, and selecting a drive mode change based on the information satisfying the drive mode threshold. The disclosed method also includes sending the drive mode change to a first vehicle operation module, the first vehicle operation module operating at least one other vehicle operation module to adjust vehicle operation based on the drive mode change.

Growing community of inventors

Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America

Rinku Patel