Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Timothy Panagis

Peter Simeon Lazarevski

Russ Lee Norton

Paul Miska

Pankaj Kumar

Daniel A Gabor

Mark Eifert

David Michael Russell

Peter Phung

James Carthew

Joe L Buchwitz

Uwe Hoffmann

Chad Michael Korte

Brandon Beauvais

James Adam Drozdowski

John Wesley Stanley

William James Bouse

Nelson Brock

John Walsh

Christopher Melgar

Daniel F Slavin

Daniel Nichols

Ahmed Mohamed

Phil Lenius

Alex Parker

Vijay Bokil

Daniel Lee Grohnke

Zhongzhou Yang

Justin Sekula

Zheng Tan

Bo Lin

Christopher James Dean

Austin Thind

Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein to center a steering wheel. An example vehicle includes a steering assistance system, an axle including a wheel, memory, and a processor to execute instructions to identify a first position of the wheel, detect a request to move the wheel to a second position, adjust the wheel from the first position to the second position via the steering assistance system, disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to a third position, the third position offset from the second position by an angular offset in a first direction, adjust the wheel to a fourth position, the fourth position offset from the second position by the angular offset in a second direction different than the first direction, and disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to the second position.

Methods and apparatus to center a steering wheel and move road wheels to a straightly forward position

A vehicle control system includes a brake module operably coupled to a braking system to provide a braking torque request, a steering module operably coupled to a steering system to provide a steering input request, a power supply, and a power management module. The power supply is operably coupled to the brake module and the steering module to provide power to the brake module and the steering module. The power supply has a power budget indicating a maximum power providable to the brake module and the steering module. The power management module is operably coupled to sensors to receive a power draw indication from one of the brake module or the steering module and control power draw of the other of the steering module or the brake module to maintain a combined power draw of the brake module and the steering module below the power budget.

Chassis power management

Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to a collaborative relationship between a vehicle and a UAV. In one exemplary implementation, a computer that is provided in the vehicle uses images captured by an imaging system in the UAV together with images captured by an imaging system in the vehicle, to modify a suspension system of the vehicle based on a nature of the terrain located below, or ahead, of the vehicle. The computer may, for example, modify a suspension system before the vehicle reaches a rock or a pothole on the ground ahead. In another exemplary implementation, the computer may generate an augmented reality image that includes a 3D model of the vehicle rendered on an image of a terrain located below, or ahead of, the vehicle. The augmented reality image may be used by a driver of the vehicle to drive the vehicle over such terrain.

Collaborative relationship between a vehicle and a UAV

A method for controlling a vehicle active chassis power system includes determining, via a processor, a minimum output voltage/current threshold for an aggregated power supply associated with an active chassis operation, and generating an aggregate State of Function (SoF) indicative of a maximum voltage/current budget for an output of the vehicle active chassis power system. The aggregate SoF is based on a primary power source voltage/current output and a power storage voltage/current output. The method further includes causing to control an active chassis power system actuator based on a minimum voltage/current value associated with the aggregate SoF. Causing to control the active chassis power system actuator can include publishing the aggregate SoF to a braking actuator, a steering actuator, or to a domain controller that actively distributes an aggregated power supply capability SoF to a braking actuator and a steering actuator based on one or more present vehicle states.

State of function adaptive power management

A method of controlling a suspension system of a vehicle includes identifying an amplitude and a frequency of at least one harmonic event in a topology of a surface to be traversed by the vehicle, and, with a controller, altering at least one response characteristic of at least one adjustable component of the suspension system based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event. Systems and methods relate to controlling vehicle suspension systems.

Vehicle suspension control systems and devices, and related methods

Example methods and systems for optimizing vehicle ride performance are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a calculator to calculate a vertical velocity of a vehicle wheel and a comparer to perform a comparison of the vertical velocity to a threshold. The example apparatus includes a damping force manager to determine a damping force to be generated by a vehicle suspension system based on the comparison and a communicator to transmit a request including the damping force to be generated to the vehicle suspension system.

Methods and apparatus for optimizing vehicle ride performance

Systems and methods to control suspension of a vehicle are disclosed. An example apparatus includes one or more processors coupled to a vehicle. The one or more processors are to generate road profile data while the vehicle is moving and generate suspension control data based on the road profile data. A suspension of the vehicle is to be adjusted based on the suspension control data. The one or more processors also determine a distance traveled by the vehicle during a time interval. The time interval is associated with generating the road profile data or adjusting the suspension. The one or more processors also adjust the suspension based on the suspension control data, the distance, and a preview distance associated with the vehicle.

Systems and methods to control a suspension of a vehicle

A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine a vehicle ride height, determine an angle of a display projector in a vehicle instrument panel based on the ride height, and actuate a motor to move the display projector to the projector angle.

Display projector operation

Vehicle suspension systems are described herein. An example vehicle suspension includes a yoke to couple a knuckle to an axle of the vehicle suspension. The yoke includes a post to receive the axle and a lobe projecting from the post.

Integrated steering yoke and spring seat for suspension systems

Methods and apparatus to calibrate height sensors of a vehicle suspension are described herein. An example method includes measuring a first voltage output of a height sensor coupled to a control arm of a suspension when the control arm is at a first position, associating the first voltage output to the first position of the control arm, measuring a second voltage output of the height sensor when the control arm is at a second position, associating the second voltage output to the second position of the control arm, measuring a third voltage output of the height sensor when the control arm is in a third position, and associating the third voltage output to the third position of the control arm.

Methods and apparatus to calibrate height sensors of a vehicle suspension

A steering compensation apparatus includes a road camber determiner to determine a first road camber at a road position in front of a vehicle using wheel trajectory data and height data of the road position, a road camber logic circuit to select, via a torque mapper mapping a plurality of road cambers to a plurality of first compensating torques, a first compensating torque corresponding to the first road camber and a steering controller to drive a motor to deliver the selected first compensating torque to a steering rack at the road position responsive to the first road camber.

Road camber compensation

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Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Timothy Panagis