The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 15, 2026
Filed:
May. 24, 2023
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Canton, MI (US);
Vivekanandh Elangovan, Canton, MI (US);
John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Novi, MI (US);
Nicholas Colella, Grosse Ile, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A detection system for a vehicle includes at least one time-of-flight device configured to capture positional information about cargo in the vehicle and an obstruction outside the vehicle. Control circuitry is in communication with the at least one time-of-flight device. The control circuitry is configured to determine a location of the obstruction relative to a rear of the vehicle, calculate a length of at least one overhang of the cargo based on the positional information, estimate a lateral position of the at least one overhang based on the positional information, determine at least one endpoint of the cargo based on the lateral position and the length, determine at least one potential contact point between the cargo and the obstruction based on the location and the at least one endpoint, and generate an output based on the at least one potential contact point.