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:
Aug. 04, 2015
Filed:
May. 13, 2013
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Joseph Andreas Urhahne, Pulheim, DE;
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
In a method for detecting contact between a driver's hands and the steering wheel () of a vehicle, an actuator () for selectively applying a steering force and sensors () for measuring the instantaneous steering force and/or the steering angle being associated with the steering wheel (), the actuator () impresses () a test force pulse pattern on the steering wheel (). The steering force sensor and/or the steering angle sensor () measure(s) the reaction of the steering wheel movement to the test pulse pattern, and the reaction of the steering wheel movement is used to decide whether or not at least one of the driver's hands is in contact with the steering wheel ().