Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

University of Michigan

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Volvo Car Corporation

Ford Global Tech.inc

Ford Global Technology, LLC

Thomas Edward Pilutti

Roger Arnold Trombley

Erick Michael Lavoie

Matt Y Rupp

Douglas Scott Rhode

Shane Elwart

John Shutko

Michael Hafner

Li Xu

Hongtei Eric Tseng

Eric Hongtei Tseng

Jianbo Lu

John Patrick Joyce

Dimitar Petrov Filev

Luke Niewiadomski

Christos T Kyrtsos

Donald Jacob Mattern

Wilford Trent Yopp

Jeffrey Dan Rupp

Rajit Johri

Hamid M Golgiri

Davorin David Hrovat

Davor Hrovat

Aaron Lewis Mills

Johannes Geir Kristinsson

Darrel Alan Recker

Alex Maurice Miller

Manoharprasad K Rao

Kwaku O Prakah-Asante

Ali Hassani

Brian Bennie

Yi Zhang

Mark Anthony Cuddihy

Gary Steven Strumolo

Dale Scott Crombez

John Ottavio Michelini

Fling Finn Tseng

Mahendra Somasara Dassanayake

Steven Yellin Schondorf

Stephen Kenneth Helwig

Adil Nizam Siddiqui

Ronald Hugh Miller

David Anthony Wagner

Brad Alan Ignaczak

Christopher W Bell

Gerald H Engelman

Levasseur Tellis

Ahmed Benmimoun

David Dean Smit

Matthew Y Rupp

Andrew Waldis

Christopher Scott Nave

Dorian Jack Spero

Taehyun Shim

Martin Fitzpatrick Frey

Peter Gyumyeong Joh

Kenneth Michael Mayer

Nathaniel Abram Rolfes

Devinder Singh Kochhar

Jeff Allen Greenberg

Christopher Attard

David Alan Hamilton

John Michael Celli

John Paul Shaw

Jill Plavcan

Lisa Yeung

Kyle Simmons

Anthony Gerald King

Bradley George Hochrein

Prabhakar B Patil

Peter Francis Worrel

Zheng Hu

Nanjun Liu

Sheran Anthony Alles

Louis Tijerina

Ross Maxwell Stuntz

Homayoun Jamshidi Nekou

Douglas Blue

Andreas Eidehall

Tony Tae-Jin Pak

Kun Deng

Brian Wolski

Chenhao Ma

Udayakumar Ramasami

Chad Clement

Marc Roeber

Mohsen Lakehal-ayat

Joanne Theresa Woestman

Jonathan Patrick How

Daniel Domek Eisele

Faroog Abdel-Kareem Ibrahim

Greg Blaisdell Stevens

Nate Rolfes

Amin Kashi

Jens Kotte

Martin Miller

Melvin Douglas Palmer

Ali Galip Ulsoy

Paul Theodosis

A user trained map for providing driver assistance in a vehicle is obtained by entering a training mode, acquiring and at least temporarily storing vehicle sensor data related to the vehicle's position during training mode while the vehicle is operating in training mode, generating and storing a trained digital map of a parking route at least partially based on the acquired vehicle sensor data, acquiring and storing position information related to a drop-off location and to a pickup location, the drop-off location and the pickup location being part of the parking route, and exiting the training mode.

User trained map for valet parking feature

A vehicle has a trailer backup steering input apparatus, a trailer backup assist control module coupled to the a trailer backup steering input apparatus, and an electric power assist steering system coupled to the trailer backup assist control module. The trailer backup steering input apparatus is configured for outputting a trailer path curvature signal approximating a desired curvature for a path of travel of a trailer towably coupled to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist control module is configured for determining vehicle steering information as a function of the trailer path curvature signal. The electric power assist steering system is configured for controlling steering of steered wheels of the vehicle as a function of the vehicle steering information.

Trailer backup assist curvature control

A future location of a movable object is predicted to intersect a planned path of a host vehicle. A host vehicle component is actuated to output a signal indicating to move the movable object. Then, at least one of the movable object is determined to have moved or the planned path of the host vehicle is updated. Then, the host vehicle is operated along the planned path or the updated planned path.

Vehicle planned path signal

A vehicle hitch assistance system includes a first image sensor in connection with a portion of the vehicle and positioned forward of a forward hitch disposed in a cargo bed of the vehicle. The system further includes a controller configured to capture first image data with the first image sensor. The first image data depicts a coupler of a trailer. The controller is further configured to identify a trailer type of the trailer based on the first image data. The trailer type is configured to connect to the forward hitch. The controller is further configured to acquire position data identifying a coupler position of the coupler in the first image data, derive a vehicle path aligning the forward hitch with the coupler, and control a maneuvering system driving the vehicle along the vehicle path.

Alignment position adaptation for fifth wheel trailers in hitch assist operation

A trailer sideswipe avoidance system for a vehicle towing a trailer is provided herein. The trailer sideswipe avoidance system includes a sensor system configured to detect objects in an operating environment of the vehicle. A controller receiving inputs from the sensor system is configured to determine a travel path of the towed trailer as the vehicle turns, determine whether an object detected in the operating environment of the vehicle is in the travel path of the towed trailer, determine a time until sideswiping of the object with the towed trailer, compare the time until sideswiping with a threshold time value, and prompt one or more vehicle systems to execute a sideswipe avoidance measure when the time until sideswiping is less than the threshold time value.

Trailer sideswipe avoidance system

A vehicle hitch assistance system includes comprising an imaging system, a steering system, a dead reckoning device and a controller. The controller determines a hitch location within a vehicle exterior image received from the imaging system and controls the steering system to guide the vehicle in a reverse direction to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the hitch location, including by tracking the location of the vehicle using information received from the dead reckoning device.

System to automate hitching a trailer

A vehicle has a trailer backup steering input apparatus, a trailer backup assist control module coupled to the a trailer backup steering input apparatus, and an electric power assist steering system coupled to the trailer backup assist control module and. The trailer backup steering input apparatus is configured for outputting a trailer path curvature signal approximating a desired curvature for a path of travel of a trailer towably coupled to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist control module is configured for determining vehicle steering information as a function of the trailer path curvature signal. The electric power assist steering system is configured for controlling steering of steered wheels of the vehicle as a function of the vehicle steering information.

A trailer backup assist system is provided herein. The system includes a calibration feature for calibrating an imaging device used for hitch angle detection. The system also employs multiple hitch angle detection methods, a number of which may run in parallel to increase the intervals at which a hitch angle can be measured. The system additionally includes a predictive feature in which a hitch angle can be predicted in instances where a trailer sensing device fails. The system is further configured to estimate a trailer length and generate steering commands that are invariant to the estimated trailer length under certain conditions.

Trailer backup assist system with predictive hitch angle functionality

A vehicle system includes a camera and a display device. The camera is configured to capture an image and the display device is programmed to display the image. Each image includes a target, and the display device displays a virtual overlay on the image. The virtual overlay is displayed on the display device at a fixed location.

Parking assist overlay

A hitch assist system is provided herein. A human machine interface is configured to receive user-input for adjusting a pre-hitch position of a tow hitch of a vehicle. A controller is configured to generate commands for maneuvering the vehicle such that the tow hitch is moved to an adjusted pre-hitch position at which the tow hitch is aligned with a hitch coupler of a trailer.

Hitch assist system for correcting misalignment between a tow hitch of a vehicle and a hitch coupler of a trailer

Map data is augmented using GPS traces captured by navigation systems of vehicles. A GPS trace is reduced to key points identified based on magnitude of bearing changes and to maintain a maximum separation between key points. The locations and bearings of each key point are compared to locations and bearings along map traces in the map data. Where the location and bearing meet threshold conditions, the key point is merged with the map trace, such as by computing an average or weighted average. The manner in which the key point is merged is modified based on proximity of the key point to points in the map trace connected by segments of the map trace.

Automatic map generation

A hitch assist system and method are provided herein. An imager captures one or more images of a trailer having a hitch coupler. A user-input device is provided for specifying a location of the hitch coupler in the one or more captured images. A controller generates an image patch around the user-specified location, segments the image patch to identify the hitch coupler, and estimates a trailer height based on a height and projective geometry of the imager.

Hitch assist system with hitch coupler identification feature and hitch coupler height estimation

Systems and methods for adaptive cruise control based on user defined parameters are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a GPS receiver configured to provide a location of the vehicle, an adaptive cruise control; and a cruise control adjuster. In the example cruise control adjuster is configured to generate an action when a cruise control event is defined for the location. In the disclosed example the cruise control event is based on past changes to the adaptive cruise control at the location. The example cruise control adjuster is also configured to apply the action to the adaptive cruise control to change how the adaptive cruise control controls the vehicle.

System and methods for adaptive cruise control based on user defined parameters

A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a brake module and a throttle module. The system further includes a controller having a vehicle speed detector and coupled with the brake module and the throttle module for implementing a backup mode including detecting an adverse operating condition and then adjusting at least one of the brake module and the throttle module and terminating the backup mode upon detecting the adverse operating condition for a time interval.

Trailer curvature control and mode management with powertrain and brake support

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Thomas Edward Pilutti