Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Todd A Snover

Patrick William Gibson

Peter Langer

Raymond S Alvey

Karl W Wojcik

Dale O Stollsteimer

Dale Otto Stollsteimer

A transfer case motor controls the rotation of a cam. The cam actuates various gear states of a transfer case of a four-wheel-drive vehicle. A contact plate rotates with the cam and encodes the position of the cam as a four-bit binary code. The code is such that when the cam travels between any two gear states, one bit of the four-bit code stays constant from the initial gear state until the final gear state is reached. The single bit can thus be observed to determine that the final gear state has been reached. The encoding scheme is also such that the bit which stays constant always assumes the same state.

Apparatus and method for position encoding

This is a method and apparatus for operating a transfer case of a four wheel drive vehicle wherein sensors detecting rotation of the front and rear drive shafts speed are scaled to produce an advantageously accurate representation of vehicle speed. The method generates a scaling factor by comparing stored information to information sensed by rotational sensors on the front and rear drive shaft.

Software calibration of speed sensors

Method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of a plurality of electrical loads in an automotive vehicle with a single current sensor. The current sensor detects the change in the total output current associated with the electrical loads and generates an output signal based on the current change. The apparatus also includes a controller which activates each electrical load at a given time to obtain a like plurality of timing signals so that each electrical load receives a portion of the output current. The controller processes the output signal and the timing signals to obtain a diagnostic signal related to an operating condition of at least one of the electrical loads. Finally, the controller controls an operating state of the at least one of the electrical loads based on the diagnostic signal.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of electrical loads in

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Oak Park, MI, United States of America

Todd A Snover