Patents Examined by Brian Kirby
  • Patent number: 9631585
    Abstract: An automated method for diagnosing an EGHR having a coolant path, an exhaust path, a heat exchanger, and a valve. The coolant path passes through the heat exchanger and the valve selectively directs the exhaust path through the heat exchanger. The method includes monitoring an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature of the coolant path, determining an instantaneous coolant power from the monitored inlet temperature and outlet temperature, and integrating the instantaneous coolant power to determine a total energy recovered by the coolant path. The method monitors an instantaneous exhaust power, determines an instantaneous available EGHR power from the instantaneous exhaust power, and integrates the instantaneous available EGHR power to determine a nominal EGHR energy. A differential is calculated between the nominal EGHR energy and the total energy recovered by the coolant path. If the calculated differential is greater than an allowable tolerance, an EGHR error signal is sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul S. Lombardo, Brian L. Spohn
  • Patent number: 9624867
    Abstract: Proposed is a method for open-loop and closed-loop control of an internal combustion engine (1), the rail pressure (pCR) being controlled via a low pressure-side suction throttle valve (4) as the first pressure-adjusting element in a rail pressure control loop. The invention is characterized in that a rail pressure disturbance variable is generated to influence the rail pressure (pCR) via a high pressure-side pressure control valve (12) as the second pressure-adjusting element, by means of which fuel is redirected from the rail (6) into a fuel tank (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 9611797
    Abstract: An engine system may include a specified number of injectors and an engine control unit (ECU) having pins to which the injectors may be coupled. The ECU may include a controller implemented in hardware, software, or combination of both, and capable of switching between different multiplexing configurations, where each multiplexing configuration includes a specified number of individual injectors coupled across corresponding pairs of pins. The controller may select one multiplexing configuration from the number of specified multiplexing configurations without requiring any hardware adjustments to be made to the injectors and/or pins. The controller may also operate the individual injectors through the corresponding pairs of pins in an active multiplexing configuration selected by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Matthew Viele
  • Patent number: 9611769
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an airflow determination module and a cylinder activation module. The airflow determination module determines an amount of airflow through a ventilation system for a crankcase of an engine. The cylinder activation module, when a cylinder of the engine is deactivated while the engine is running, selectively activates the cylinder based on the amount of airflow through the ventilation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ronald J. Pierik, Thomas A. Spix
  • Patent number: 9541045
    Abstract: A fuel injection system with a high-pressure fuel injection pomp is provided for pressurizing fuel and delivering it for injection into an internal combustion engine. The system and the high-pressure fuel injection pump have an inlet, a return port, at least one plunger, a suction, channel positioned between the inlet and plunger, and a bleed valve connectively arranged at the suction channel of the high-pressure fuel injection pump, A selector valve is provided between the inlet, and return port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Sergi Yudanov
  • Patent number: 9534550
    Abstract: A cylinder control system of a vehicle includes a cylinder control module and an air per cylinder (APC) prediction module. The cylinder control module determines a desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The cylinder control module also activates and deactivates valves of cylinders of an engine based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The APC prediction module predicts an amount of air that will be trapped within a next activated cylinder in a firing order of the cylinders based on a cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order. Q is an integer greater than one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gregory P. Matthews, Zhiping Steven Liu, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 9500148
    Abstract: A control device of a control valve used for an intake air-gas system of an engine. The device includes, but is not limited to: the control valve which is an intake air throttle valve provided in the intake air-gas system provided in the intake air-gas system of the engine to control the flow rate of intake air to the engine, or an EGR valve provided in the intake air-gas system of the engine to control the flow rate of EGR gas to the engine; and a control unit which determines a target opening of the control valve in response to the operation conditions of the engine, and controls the opening of the control valve so that the opening conforms with the target opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Ko Takayanagi, Hiroyoshi Kubo
  • Patent number: 9470169
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enhance precision of air-fuel ratio control after return from fuel cut in a control device for an internal combustion engine that has a plurality of fuel injection modes, and performs calculation of a fuel injection amount by a method corresponding to an injection mode in use. For this object, the control device for an internal combustion engine the present invention provides normally determines the injection mode in response to an operation state, but designates a specific injection mode with a higher priority than the injection mode determined in response to the operation state at a time of return from fuel cut. For a predetermined time period after the return from fuel cut, the control device prohibits the injection mode from being changed in response to the operation state, and keeps fuel injection according to the designated specific injection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Watanabe, Yasumichi Inoue
  • Patent number: 9458778
    Abstract: A ranking module determines N ranking values for N predetermined cylinder activation/deactivation sequences of an engine, respectively. N is an integer greater than or equal to two. A cylinder control module, based on the N ranking values, selects one of the N predetermined cylinder activation/deactivation sequences as a desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence for cylinders of the engine. The cylinder control module also: activates opening of intake and exhaust valves of first ones of the cylinders that are to be activated based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence; and deactivates opening of intake and exhaust valves of second ones of the cylinders that are to be deactivated based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. A fuel control module provides fuel to the first ones of the cylinders and disables fueling to the second ones of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Randall S. Beikmann, Sanjeev M. Naik
  • Patent number: 9458779
    Abstract: An engine control system of a vehicle includes a manifold temperature module, a runner temperature module. The manifold temperature module determines a first temperature of gas in an intake manifold of an engine. The runner temperature module determines a second temperature of gas in an intake runner associated with a cylinder based on the first temperature of the gas in the intake manifold. The engine control system further includes at least one of: a fuel control module that controls fueling of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner; and a spark control module that controls spark of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Gregory P. Matthews, Layne K. Wiggins
  • Patent number: 9453466
    Abstract: Various methods and system are described for a fuel system which includes a fuel composition sensor and a fuel lift pump disposed upstream of the sensor. The system may be operated in each of three different modes of operation. In each of the modes, a fuel lift pump voltage is adjusted responsive to a fuel capacitance output by the sensor, while a variable such as sensor temperature or fuel pump pressure is maintained depending on the mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Joseph F. Basmaji, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 9447765
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, electrical loads, and at least one controller. While the engine is on, the controller calculates the change in current demand of the electrical loads expected from turning the engine off. The decision to command the engine off is then based on the expected change in current demand. Electrical loads that will change state from on to off when the engine is turned off will increase the expected change in current demand. Electrical loads that will change state from off to on when the engine is turned off will decrease the expected change in current demand. Operating conditions associated with the electrical loads, such as operating voltage, temperature, and speed, may affect the expected change in current demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Michael Rademacher, Alexander O'Connor Gibson, Robert Michael Grant
  • Patent number: 9441572
    Abstract: Proposed is a method for controlling and regulating an internal combustion engine (1), in which the rail pressure (pCR) is controlled via a suction throttle (4) on the low pressure side as a first pressure-adjusting element in a rail pressure control loop. The invention is characterized in that a rail pressure disturbance variable (VDRV) is generated in order to influence the rail pressure (pCR) via a pressure control valve (12) on the high pressure side as a second pressure-adjusting element, by means of which fuel is redirected in a controlled manner from the rail (6) into a fuel tank (2), the rail pressure disturbance variable (VDRV) being calculated using a corrected target volume flow (Vk(SL)) of the pressure control valve (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 9410519
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel pump includes a pump housing formed with a recess, a cylinder combined with the pump housing to define the recess as a pressurizing chamber, a holder securing the cylinder to the pump housing, and a plunger sliding against the cylinder to pressurize fluid in the pressurizing chamber. The holder includes an outer cylindrical surface portion fitted to an attachment fitting hole of an engine block of an internal combustion engine, and a cylindrical fitting portion fitted to an outer circumference of the cylinder. The outer cylindrical surface portion and the cylindrical fitting portion are formed in a single piece resulting from machining one and the same member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Usui, Shingo Tamura, Katsumi Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9382880
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for an engine system with an exhaust gas recirculation system. In one example method, a correction for a gas constituent sensor is determined based on output from the gas constituent sensor and output from a pressure sensor over a range of boost pressure. The gas constituent sensor output is adjusted based on the correction, and an amount of exhaust gas recirculation is adjusted based on the adjusted gas constituent sensor output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Richard E. Soltis, Jacobus Hendrik Visser, Timothy Joseph Clark, David James Scholl
  • Patent number: 9376979
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling combustion performance of an engine are provided. A desired fuel quantity for a first combustion cycle is determined. One or more engine actuator settings are identified that would be required during a subsequent combustion cycle to cause the engine to approach a target combustion phasing. If the identified actuator settings are within a defined acceptable operating range, the desired fuel quantity is injected during the first combustion cycle. If not, an attenuated fuel quantity is determined and the attenuated fuel quantity is injected during the first combustion cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Shyam Jade, Erik Hellstrom, Anna Stefanopoulou, Li Jiang
  • Patent number: 9371781
    Abstract: A method for reducing a nitrogen oxide emission in a diesel engine. The method can include taking at least one exhaust gas of an in engine combustion in a combustion chamber and: segmenting a first portion of exhaust gas enters as an internal exhaust gas recirculation from the combustion chamber of the diesel engine via an outlet valve associated with the combustion chamber, and is recirculated, via the outlet valve, from the subsequent exhaust gas tract, into the combustion chamber of the diesel engine; segmenting a second portion of exhaust gas remains in the combustion chamber and is not expelled; and segmenting a third portion of exhaust gas is recirculated as external exhaust gas recirculation via an exhaust gas recirculation valve into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: FEV GMBH
    Inventor: Thorsten Schnorbus
  • Patent number: 9371790
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for controlling fuel injection to an engine. In one example, fuel injection timing of a cylinder of the engine is adjusted during a hot engine restart such that a fuel injector is open only when the cylinder pressure is greater than a threshold cylinder pressure. The threshold cylinder pressure may be adjusted responsive to a fuel rail pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Charles Ruona, Fred Howard Trinker
  • Patent number: 9353655
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a cylinder control module and a pump control module. The cylinder control module selectively deactivates cylinders of an engine. In response to a determination that at least one of the cylinders is deactivated, the pump control module: selectively increases a target displacement for an oil pump that is driven by a balance shaft of the engine; and selectively adjusts displacement of the oil pump based on the target displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy T. Demarest, Ronald J. Pierik, Eric D. Staley
  • Patent number: 9309849
    Abstract: A method to reduce engine noise in a multi-cylinder direct injection internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes a high pressure fuel pump having both an inlet valve fluidly connected to a fuel source and an outlet valve typically connected to a pressurized fuel rail. In order to reduce engine noise, especially at low engine speeds, the timing of the opening of either the fuel pump inlet valve or fuel pump outlet valve is varied so that it coincides with the opening of the fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd
    Inventors: Yosuke Tanabe, Donald J. McCune