Davorin David Hrovat

6477480, Nov 5, 2002

Nov 15, 2000

09/713712

Hongtei Eric Tseng - Canton MI
Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

G06E 1500

702142, 702127

A method and apparatus for determining lateral velocity of a vehicle ( ) uses a controller ( ) having a lateral velocity estimator ( ) therein. A vehicle speed determination circuit ( ) is used to determine the vehicle speed which is coupled to the controller ( ). A yaw rate sensor ( ) is used to generate a yaw rate signal, a lateral acceleration signal ( ) is used to generate a lateral acceleration signal, and a roll angle sensor ( ) is used to generate a roll angle signal that are each coupled to controller ( ). The controller ( ) measures an unbiased lateral velocity derivative and determines a fictitious lateral velocity estimation using the unbiased lateral velocity derivative. Using the fictitious error to drive a model based adaptive observer, an accurate lateral velocity determination may he made in spite of model uncertainties and measurement noise.

6651761, Nov 25, 2003

Apr 18, 2002

10/063400

Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI
Jahanbakhsh Asgari - Dearborn MI
Josko Deur - Zagreb, HR
William Samuel Schwartz - Pleasant Ridge MI

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

B60K 100

180 653, 429 24, 165 41

A system and method to control the coolant temperature of two independent cooling loops of a fuel cell vehicle by adjusting system pump speed, fan speed and radiator bypass valve position. Multiple feedback controllers coordinated by robust flip-flop logic are used, to minimize energy consumption and provide optimal control system performance even in the case of substantially different plant responses with respect to fan speed and valve position plant inputs. The system also includes a feed forward disturbance compensator, which reacts immediately to change in net power and vehicle speed disturbance variables, thereby reducing the variance of the temperature control error. Additionally, a feedback controller preset strategy is used to compensate for distinctive plant nonlinear effects such as bypass valve dead-zone and air-conditioning systems request for abrupt change of fan speed.

6671587, Dec 30, 2003

Feb 5, 2002

09/683707

Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI
Hongtei Eric Tseng - Canton MI
John Loring Yester - Bloomfield Hills MI

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

G01C 2100

701 1, 701213, 34235706

An apparatus and method for measuring dynamic movement of a vehicle ( ) by employing multiple GPS satellites and determining velocity based change in the carrier frequency of multiple satellite signals. The apparatus includes at least two GPS receiving antennas ( and ) installed on a vehicle ( ) at known locations and a controller ( ) for processing received GPS signals ( ) and monitoring a carrier frequency associated with the GPS signals. The controller ( ) determines a change in the carrier frequency of the GPS signals due to Doppler effect. The controller ( ) further determines a first inertial velocity vector of each of the receiving antennas ( and ) based on the change in carrier frequency, and determines angular rate of the vehicle based on the inertial velocity vectors. The controller ( ) further determines vehicle longitudinal and lateral velocity and acceleration as a function of the inertial velocity vectors.

6714851, Mar 30, 2004

Jan 7, 2002

10/040806

Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI
Hongtei Eric Tseng - Canton MI
Todd Allen Brown - Dearborn MI

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

G06F 1900

701 70, 701 45, 340440

A control system ( ) for an automotive vehicle ( ) includes a longitudinal accelerometer ( ) that generates a longitudinal acceleration signal corresponding to a longitudinal acceleration of a center of gravity (COG) of the vehicle body. A lateral velocity sensor ( ) generates a lateral velocity signal corresponding to the lateral velocity of the vehicle body. A controller ( ) is coupled to the yaw rate sensor ( ), the longitudinal accelerometer ( ) and the lateral velocity sensor ( ). The controller ( ) determines a longitudinal speed from the longitudinal acceleration signal. The controller determines a vehicle pitch angle in response to the longitudinal speed, the yaw rate signal and the lateral velocity signal.

6716136, Apr 6, 2004

Aug 29, 2002

10/232554

Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI
Ilya V. Kolmanovsky - Ypsilanti MI

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

B60K 4104

477100, 477107, 477181, 477902, 701 54

A system is described for minimizing engine torque disturbances that would otherwise cause degraded drive feel by a vehicle driver. The system utilizes multiple torque transmission paths of a transaxle unit mounted to the engine. The system manipulates the torque transmitted by adjusting the clutches of multiple torque transmission paths so that the torque disturbance in the engine results in relatively constant vehicle drive torque. In one example, a potential torque increase due to a change in engine air-fuel ratio is minimized by transmitted torque through multiple transmission paths.

6716137, Apr 6, 2004

Aug 29, 2002

10/230746

Ilya V. Kolmanovsky - Ypsilanti MI
Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

B60K 4104

477115, 477 78

A system is described for minimizing engine torque disturbances that would otherwise cause degraded drive feel by a vehicle driver. The system utilizes multiple torque transmission paths of a transaxle unit mounted to the engine. The system manipulates the torque transmitted by adjusting the clutches of multiple torque transmission paths so that the torque disturbance in the engine results in relatively constant vehicle drive torque. In one example, a potential torque increase at high speed and low airflow that may be cause using electronically actuated valves is compensated for using multiple paths of the transmission. In this way, relatively constant output torque can be maintained.

6738702, May 18, 2004

Aug 29, 2002

10/232551

Ilya V. Kolmanovsky - Ypsilanti MI
Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

G06F 1700

701 54, 701 67, 701 84, 477110

A system is described for minimizing engine torque disturbances that would otherwise cause degraded drive feel by a vehicle driver. The system utilizes multiple torque transmission paths of a transaxle unit mounted to the engine. The system manipulates the torque transmitted by adjusting the clutches of multiple torque transmission paths so that the torque disturbance in the engine results in relatively constant vehicle drive torque. In particular, during particulate filter regeneration, a potential torque increase is transmitted through multiple torque paths of the transmission to maintain output torque relatively constant.

6804584, Oct 12, 2004

Mar 20, 2002

10/101998

Hongtei Eric Tseng - Canton MI
Davorin David Hrovat - Ann Arbor MI
Michael G. Fodor - Dearborn MI

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

G06F 1900

701 1

A method for determining road bank angle in a vehicle includes a lateral acceleration sensor ( ) that generates a lateral acceleration signal. A yaw rate sensor ( ) generates a yaw rate signal. A roll rate sensor ( ) generates a yaw rate signal. A controller ( ) coupled to the sensors calculates a first roll angle signal in response to the roll rate signal and calculates a second roll angle signal corresponding to a suspension reference roll angle in response to the lateral acceleration signal. The controller calculates a bank angle signal in response to the lateral acceleration signal, the yaw rate signal, the steering wheel signal and the speed signal. The controller sums the first roll angle signal, the second roll angle signal and the bank angle signal to obtain a final roll angle estimate.