IP Library Granted Patent US 12,359,647
Granted Patent B2
US 12,359,647 · App. 18/305,060 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Adaptive exhaust control for remote start

Inventors: Keith Weston (Canton, MI); John Robert Van Wiemeersch (Novi, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
F02N11/0807F02N2200/123
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,359,647
App. No.
18/305,060
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle includes receives a remote start request from a user, responsive to the request, engage at least one vehicle sensor to determine whether at least an animal or person are within at least a predefined distance from an exhaust or external sounder of the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle, responsive to determining that the animal or person are withing the predefined distance, delays execution of a remote start, requested by the request, for at least a predefined period of time.

Claims (30)

1. A vehicle comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

receive a remote start request;

responsive to the request, engage at least one vehicle sensor designated for use in conjunction with remote start handling, to determine whether any of one or more prerequisites predefined as affecting a remote start are met, based on sensed data;

responsive to detecting at least one of the one or more prerequisites; control a remote start in accordance with a manner predefined in conjunction with the sensed data indicating the one or more one or more prerequisites, wherein the one or more prerequisites include a location prerequisite including a location of the vehicle corresponding to a defined geofence that includes the location of the vehicle and wherein the manner includes at least one of a maximum noise level or a requirement to start at a minimum noise level, wherein the manner is associated with the location prerequisite based on association with at least one of the defined geofence, a location type corresponds to the defined geofence, or a control parameter associated with all geofences for the vehicle; and

responsive to the sensed data indicating none of the one or more prerequisites, start the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the request includes a specified type of remote start having at least a requested exhaust noise level associated therewith.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the starting the vehicle includes starting the vehicle to accommodate the requested exhaust noise level.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more one or more prerequisites include at least one of a sensed person or sensed animal in predefined proximity to the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more one or more prerequisites include at least one of a sensed person or sensed animal in predefined proximity to a vehicle exhaust region.

6. A vehicle comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

receive a remote start request;

responsive to the remote start request, determine if one or more predefined prerequisites for adapting the remote start are met; and

responsive to at least one of the predicates being met, control the remote start in a manner predefined in association with the prerequisite, wherein the one or more prerequisites include a location prerequisite including a location of the vehicle corresponding to a defined geofence that includes the location of the vehicle and wherein the manner includes at least one of a maximum noise level or a requirement to start at a minimum noise level, wherein the manner is associated with the location prerequisite based on association with at least one of the geofence, a location type that corresponds to the geofence, or a control parameter associated with all geofences for the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more prerequisites include a presence of a moving object within at least one predefined region adjacent the vehicle, the object sensed by at least one vehicle sensor.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the vehicle sensors include at least one of motion sensors, cameras, LIDAR, RADAR, ultrasonic, sound, or infrared sensors.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the one or more prerequisites further includes a definition of the object as a living being, determinable in a predefined manner based on data sensed by the at least one sensor.

10. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the manner includes at least one of a delayed start or a quieter start than requested by the received request.

11. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the one or more prerequisites include a presence of a moving object within at least one of a plurality of predefined regions, wherein at least two of the predefined regions have the manner associated therewith, and wherein the manner associated with at least one of the at least two predefined regions is different from the manner associated with a different of the at least two predefined regions.

12. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more prerequisites include at least a detected presence of a user device within at least one of a predefined distance or within a predefined zone adjacent to the vehicle and wherein the manner includes starting the vehicle in a manner requested by the request responsive to the user device being detected within the predefined distance.

13. A vehicle comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

receive a remote start request;

responsive to the request, engage at least one vehicle sensor to determine whether at least an animal or person are within at least a predefined distance from at least one of an exhaust of the vehicle or one other source of vehicle sound; and

responsive to determining that the animal or person are within the predefined distance, delay execution of a remote start, requested by the request, for at least a predefined period of time, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to start the vehicle in a predefined quiet mode, responsive to the animal or person being sensed within the predefined proximity following the predefined period of time.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the period of time is defined as a delay until the animal or person are no longer detected within the predefined distance from at least one of the exhaust or the at least one other source of vehicle sound.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the predefined distance is defined by a predefined sensor zone encompassing the exhaust.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a camera or a motion sensor.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to contact a user device and request an updated remote start instruction, responsive to determining that the animal or person are within the predefined distance.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2023
From: WESTON, KEITH; VAN WIEMEERSCH, JOHN ROBERT
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 063425/0393 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240352912A1 · Oct 24, 2024
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