Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Vivekanandh Elangovan

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Erick Michael Lavoie

Hamid M Golgiri

Aaron Matthew DeLong

Ali Hassani

Ryan Edwin Hanson

Timothy Thivierge, Jr

Stuart C Salter

Kevin Thomas Hille

David McNabb

Laura Viviana Hazebrouck

Tom Nelson

Andrew Vaccariello

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Thomas Joseph Hermann

Daniel M King

Michael Hrecznyj

Jochen Schubert

Cameron Smyth

Alyssa Chatten

Ryan Joseph Gorski

Terry Lobsinger

Brian Wilkerson

Sai Prasanth Velusamy

Aaron Matthew Delong

Pietro Buttolo

Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam

Brendan F Diamond

Keith Weston

Hussein H Berry

Adil Nizam Siddiqui

Joshua R Wheeler

Nicholas Colella

Aldi Caushi

Eugene Karpinsky

Gregory William Farrey

Yuliya Aksyutina

Yasmin Jawad

Armin Mueller-Lerwe

Kevin F Militello

Jalal Jawany

Gabrielle Jost

Arthur Thomas Bianchi

Kirk Leonard

Patricia Seashore

David Ray Erkkila

Christoph Hirner

Mike Raymond Westra

Gerard Edward Szczepaniak

Joby Jester

Robert James Southern

John William Turner

Rita Barrios

Bobak Shahidehpour

Zachary Albright

Salman Ahsan

Thomas Kasper

Alyssa Hauler

Jeff Dippel

Erick Michael Lovoie

Aaron DeLong

Joshua Wheeler

A system communicatively coupled with a vehicle is disclosed. The system may include a detection unit configured to measure sound in proximity to a vehicle tire, and a processor communicatively coupled with the detection unit. The processor may be configured to obtain inputs from the detection unit, and identify a slow leakage in the vehicle tire based on the inputs. The processor may be further configured to output a notification responsive to a slow leakage identification. The system may be a part of the vehicle or may be part of a user device communicatively coupled to the vehicle.

Slow leak detection systems and methods

A vehicle including an ultra-wide band (UWB) transceiver is disclosed. The UWB transceiver may be configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode. The UWB transceiver may be configured to perform phone-as-a-key (PaaK) localization in the first mode and radar sensing in the second mode. The vehicle may further include a processor configured to activate the UWB transceiver in the first mode. The processor may receive a trigger signal to switch the UWB transceiver from the first mode to the second mode. Responsive to receiving the trigger signal, the processor may cause the UWB transceiver to transmit a radar pulse signal and receive a radar response signal reflected from a target located inside the vehicle. Based on the response signal, the processor may determine a sitting area profile and an occupant presence on a sitting area, and perform sitting area adjustment.

Systems and methods for ultra-wide band based vehicle sensing

A vehicle includes a plurality of RADAR modules arranged at a common side of a plurality of sides of the vehicle and configured to detect an obstruction in a region exterior to the vehicle. A first RADAR module is on a left portion of the common side and has a first field of view. A second RADAR module is on a right portion of the common side and has a second field of view. A third RADAR module is between the first and second RADAR modules and is spaced from the first RADAR module by a first distance and spaced from the second RADAR module by a second distance. The third RADAR module has a third field of view at least partially overlapping each of the first and second fields of view. Control circuitry triangulates a position of the obstruction between a pair of the plurality of RADAR modules.

Detection system for a vehicle

Systems and methods for implementing protections against catalytic converter theft. A vehicle may comprise Ultra-Wideband (UWB) anchors or sensors. The UWB sensors of a vehicle may be used to detect the relative distance and/or location of UWB-capable devices in close proximity to the vehicle. An assessment may be performed using the UWB anchors and/or other sensors to determine whether the presence of the unknown device is indicative of a threat to the vehicle. If a threat is detected, one or more protection steps may be taken.

Systems and methods for detecting/preventing vehicle parts theft

A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive range data from a range sensor of a vehicle, detect a person in proximity to the vehicle based on the range data, activate a camera of the vehicle upon detecting the person, set a parameter of one of the camera or a facial recognition algorithm based on the range data of the person, and perform the facial recognition algorithm on the person using data from the camera.

Activation of facial recognition

A hideable security key for a vehicle comprises a protective body which receives a fastening member configured to hold the hideable security key to an externally-accessible surface of the vehicle. A near-field communication (NFC) antenna is disposed in the protective body. An NFC controller is disposed in the protective body and is configured to drive a security key signal to the NFC antenna. A set of code entry elements are supported on the protective body adapted for manipulation by a user to input a predetermined passcode. The NFC controller is inhibited from driving the security key signal to the NFC antenna unless the user first inputs the predetermined passcode.

Hideable security key using near field communication

Surface penetrating radar interrogates a region adjacent a pathway of the vehicle in response to activation by a user. An object detection system which is responsive to the radar transceiver is configured to recognize one or more spatial signatures of one or more detected objects in the region. A controller coupled to the radar transceiver and the object detection system is configured to (i) compare a respective spatial signature of at least one of the detected objects to a plurality of predetermined target signatures to detect an infrastructure asset, (ii) assess a perimeter around the detected infrastructure asset to estimate a severity of an obstruction blocking the infrastructure asset, and (iii) convey an alert message to the user when the estimated severity is greater than a threshold.

Roadside infrastructure detection, localization, and monitoring

A Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS) method is described. The method includes obtaining, via a BLE receiver of a key fob, a first BLE wakeup signal from a vehicle. In response to obtaining the first wakeup signal, the method includes activating a BLE transceiver of the key fob. Upon activation of the BLE transceiver, the method includes activating a UWB transceiver of the key fob via the BLE transceiver. When the UWB transceiver is activated, the method includes receiving a challenge signal from the vehicle via the UWB transceiver. Upon receiving the challenge signal, the method includes transmitting a response to the challenge signal via the UWB transceiver. Based on the response to the challenge signal, the method includes receiving a success signal from the vehicle. Upon receiving the success signal, the method includes deactivating BLE transceiver and the UWB transceiver.

Low power key systems and methods

A device localization system for a vehicle and a mobile device configured as a Phone-as-a-Key (PaaK) is described. The system includes a fob-free mode for performing remote control vehicle features using a selective mobile device localization technique that reduces motive functionality of the vehicle, based location of a user performing the vehicle control during the remote-control operation. The system determines a geographic position of a user using a single Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) antenna, and establishes establish a high-fidelity zone based on a change in mobile device position. The system reduces a motive functionality of the vehicle, based on the selective mobile device localization, from a first motive mode having a full motive functionality to a second motive mode responsive to determining that the mobile device is not present in the high-fidelity zone.

Remote vehicle motive control with optimized mobile device localization

The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for use of a vehicle to conduct a site survey. An example method can include receiving navigation guidance to move a vehicle along a pre-defined path on a property for executing a site survey operation of the property. The site survey operation can include a staking procedure performed by a robotic arm attached to the vehicle, an image capture procedure performed by use of a camera in the vehicle, and/or a subterranean scanning procedure for detecting a buried object. In an example implementation, the staking procedure can include inserting at a first location on the property, a stake having affixed thereon, a barcode label. A barcode scanner can be used to read the barcode label for obtaining information associated with an object present at the first location.

Systems and methods for use of a vehicle to conduct a site survey operation

This disclosure describes systems and methods for a ground-penetrating tailgate sensor system. An example method may also include transmitting, using a radar transceiver, a first radar signal towards a location above the tailgate. The example method may also include receiving, based on the tailgate being in a closed or open position and using the radar transceiver, a first return signal from an object located above the vehicle.

Systems and methods for a ground-penetrating tailgate sensor system

This disclosure describes systems and methods for a ground-penetrating tailgate sensor system. An example method may include transmitting, using an ultra-wideband transceiver disposed of in a tailgate of a vehicle, a signal towards an underground location below the tailgate. The example method may also include receiving, based on the tailgate being in a closed position and using the ultra-wideband transceiver, a return signal from an object located above the vehicle.

Systems and methods for a tailgate sensor system

A system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor disposed to control a drive system, and a memory for storing executable instructions. The vehicle processor is programmed to execute the instructions to determine, via the vehicle processor, a localization of a mobile device using a tethered wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle, receive, via the processor, an absolute heading of the mobile device, determine, via the vehicle processor, based on the localization of the mobile device, a relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle. The system may use the tethered wireless connection and the relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle to determine that a user is actuating a Human Machine Interface (HMI) element indicative of user attention to a remote parking maneuver and complete the remote parking maneuver.

Remote park assist augmented reality user engagement with cameraless detection

A coil is electrically connected with an energy storage unit via circuitry. The coil wirelessly receives power from a cellular phone adjacent to the coil for transfer to the energy storage unit via the circuitry, and wirelessly receives data from the cellular phone. The coil may also wirelessly transfer power and data to the cellular phone.

Inductive power and data transfer between mobile device and vehicle via common coil

An electric vehicle having an electrical storage battery includes an inductive charge receiver configured to inductively couple to a series of charging coils embedded in a roadway over which the vehicle travels in order to transfer charge to the storage battery. A ground penetrating radar transceiver is configured to interrogate the roadway including a region of the roadway toward which the vehicle is heading. The ground penetrating radar transceiver generates reflectance data including reflections from the charging coils and from embedded cabling coupling the charging coils. An object analyzer is responsive to the reflectance data and configured to map the series of charging coils relative to the vehicle. A path controller is configured to determine a steering operation of the vehicle along the roadway for optimizing a charge transfer from the series of charging coils to the inductive charge receiver.

Roadway charging coil alignment and monitoring

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Vivekanandh Elangovan