Methods and apparatus for determining positions of a stowable pedal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466254-B2
Application number	US-202217844417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2022
Priority date	Jun 20, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for determining positions of a stowable pedal assembly are disclosed. An example apparatus to determine a position of a stowable pedal assembly of a vehicle includes motor control circuitry to provide a control signal to a motor operatively coupled to the stowable pedal assembly, the motor to cause movement of the stowable pedal assembly toward a desired position, response detection circuitry to detect a current response of the motor to the control signal, and position determination circuitry to determine the position of the stowable pedal assembly based on the current response.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus to determine a position of a stowable pedal assembly of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
motor control circuitry to provide a control signal to a motor operatively coupled to the stowable pedal assembly, the control signal to cause the motor to move the stowable pedal assembly toward a desired position; response detection circuitry to detect a current response of the motor to the control signal; and position determination circuitry to:
determine a steady state of the current response by comparing the current response to first and second rate of change thresholds;
monitor a duration from a start time at which the current response begins the steady state; and
determine position of the stowable pedal assembly based on a comparison between the duration and a steady state duration threshold.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further including parameter calculation circuitry to calculate a rate of change of the current response, the position determination circuitry to determine the position based on the calculated rate of change.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further including interface circuitry to obtain the desired position based on at least one of user input to a user interface of the vehicle or based on whether autonomous driving of the vehicle is engaged.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the position determination circuitry is to determine that the stowable pedal assembly is in a fully stowed position or a fully deployed position in response to determining that the current response satisfies an inrush state, the steady state after the inrush state, and a stall state after the steady state.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the position determination circuitry is to determine that the stowable pedal assembly is in a partially stowed position or a partially deployed position in response to the duration not satisfying the steady state duration threshold or the current response not satisfying one or more steady state conditions.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the steady state conditions include a magnitude of the current response being greater than a third threshold, or the magnitude being less than a fourth threshold.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the position determination circuitry is to identify an obstruction of the stowable pedal assembly in response to the duration not satisfying the steady state duration threshold.

8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause processor circuitry to at least:
provide a control signal to a motor operatively coupled to a stowable pedal assembly of a vehicle, the control signal to cause the motor to move the stowable pedal assembly toward a desired position; detect a current response of the motor to the control signal; determine a steady state of the current response by comparing the current response to first and second rate of change thresholds; monitor a duration from a start time at which the current response begins the steady state; and determine a position of the stowable pedal assembly based on a comparison between the duration and a steady state duration threshold.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor circuitry to calculate a rate of change of the current response and determine the position based on the calculated rate of change.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor circuitry to obtain the desired position based on at least one of user input to a user interface of the vehicle or based on whether autonomous driving of the vehicle is engaged.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor circuitry to determine that the stowable pedal assembly is in a fully stowed position or a fully deployed position in response to determining that the current response satisfies an inrush state, the steady state after the inrush state, and a stall state after the steady state.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor circuitry to determine that the stowable pedal assembly is in a partially stowed position or a partially deployed position in response to at least one of the duration not satisfying the steady state duration threshold or the current response not satisfying one or more steady state conditions.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor circuitry to determine that the current response does not satisfy the steady state conditions in response to determining that at least one of a magnitude of the current response is greater than a third threshold, or the magnitude is less than a fourth threshold.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor circuitry to identify an obstruction of the stowable pedal assembly in response to the duration not satisfying the steady state duration threshold.

15 . An apparatus comprising:
memory; instructions; and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:
provide a control signal to a motor operatively coupled to a stowable pedal assembly of a vehicle, the control signal to cause the motor to move the stowable pedal assembly toward a desired position;
detect a current response of the motor to the control signal;
determine a steady state of the current response by comparing the current response to first and second rate of change thresholds;
monitor a duration from a start time at which the current response begins the steady state; and
determine a position of the stowable pedal assembly based on a comparison between the duration and a steady state duration threshold.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the instructions to calculate a rate of change of the current response and determine the position based on the calculated rate of change.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the instructions to obtain the desired position based on at least one of user input to a user interface of the vehicle or based on whether autonomous driving of the vehicle is engaged.

18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the instructions to determine that the stowable pedal assembly is in a fully stowed position or a fully deployed position in response to determining that the current response satisfies an inrush state, the steady state after the inrush state, and a stall state after the steady state.

19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the instructions to determine that the stowable pedal assembly is in a partially stowed position or a partially deployed position in response to at least one of the duration not satisfying the steady state duration threshold or the current response not satisfying one or more steady state conditions.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the instructions to determine that the current response does not satisfy the steady state conditions in response to determining that at least one of a magnitude of the current response is greater than a th

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Mccready Joshua
• Lauffer Scott J
• Gabor Daniel A
• Gami Seema

Classifications

• B60K2026/026

  Adjusting of accelerator pedal positions · CPC title

• B60W60/005

  Handover processes (Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227) · CPC title

• H02P29/00

  Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors, appropriate for both AC and DC motors (arrangements for starting electric motors H02P1/00; arrangements for stopping or slowing electric motors H02P3/00; control of motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies H02P4/00; regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors H02P5/00; vector control H02P21/00) · CPC title

• B60T7/06

  Disposition of pedal · CPC title

• B60K26/02 Primary

  of initiating means or elements · CPC title