US 11,945,502 B2
Systems and methods for providing steering assistance when parking during electrified vehicle towing events
Stuart C. Salter, White Lake, MI (US); Kenneth Patrick McHugh, Canton, MI (US); Peter Phung, Windsor (CA); David Brian Glickman, Southfield, MI (US); and Paul Kenneth Dellock, Northville, MI (US)
Assigned to FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on May 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/331,221.
Prior Publication US 2022/0379960 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B62D 15/02 (2006.01); B60K 6/28 (2007.10); B60L 53/50 (2019.01); G01S 19/01 (2010.01)
CPC B62D 15/027 (2013.01) [B60L 53/50 (2019.02); G01S 19/01 (2013.01); B60K 6/28 (2013.01); B60L 2260/20 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/91 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/92 (2013.01); B60Y 2300/91 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle-to-vehicle in-flight energy transfer system, comprising:
a towing vehicle;
a towed vehicle;
a towing device that mechanically connects the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle to allow the towing vehicle to pull the towed vehicle during a towing event; and
a control module programmed to coordinate parking steering maneuvers of the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle when parking during the towing event between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle;
wherein, as part of coordinating the parking steering maneuvers, the control module is programmed to:
coordinate a first steering-related use case configured to:
instruct a user of the towing vehicle to turn a first set of drive wheels in a first direction toward a curb when parking on a downhill grade of a roadway; and
command the towed vehicle to turn a second set of drive wheels of the towed vehicle in the first direction toward a curb; or
coordinate a second steering-related use case configured to:
instruct the user of the towing vehicle to turn the first set of drive wheels in a second direction away from the curb when parking on an uphill grade of the roadway; and
command the towed vehicle to turn the second set of drive wheels of the towed vehicle in the second direction away from the curb; or
coordinate a third steering-related use case configured to:
instruct the user of the towing vehicle to turn the first set of drive wheels in a third direction away from a traffic side of the towing vehicle when parking on a minimal grade of the roadway; and
command the towed vehicle to turn the second set of drive wheels of the towed vehicle in a fourth direction that is opposite of the third direction.