Patents Examined by Edwin A. Young
  • Patent number: 11685380
    Abstract: Methods and controllers for controlling engine speed to reduce NVH that occurs in conjunction with transmission shifts are described. In some embodiments, when a transmission shift to a target gear is expected, a target engine speed appropriate for the target gear is first determined. A target rate of change of the engine speed is calculated from the initial engine speed and target engine speed in conjunction with a target transition time. A target torque is then calculated from the target rate of change of engine speed. A target firing fraction or induction ratio are determined that are desired for use with the target engine speed based on the target torque. The transition to the target engine speed and target firing fraction or induction ratio are completed before the gear shift is completed. The described approaches are well suited for use during skip fire or other cylinder output level modulation operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis J. Serrano, Xiaoping Cai, Andrew W. Phillips
  • Patent number: 11686387
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, a metal belt wound around the primary pulley and the secondary pulley, and a controller. The metal belt includes a ring and a plurality of elements. The elements have respective receiving portions opening in a radial direction of the belt and receive the ring in the receiving portions. The controller executes a preliminary determined falling-off countermeasure control of the element when the end play larger than the predetermined length is detected to be generated or the continuously variable transmission is detected to be under the operation condition in which the end plays concentrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: JATCO LTD
    Inventors: Tadaaki Hiraoka, Kouhei Toyohara, Masanori Yamazaki, Yoshiteru Kanayama, Takashi Saitou
  • Patent number: 11680612
    Abstract: This clutch control device includes an engine (13), a transmission (21), a clutch device (26) configured to connect and disconnect motive power transmission between the engine (13) and the transmission (21), a clutch actuator (50) configured to drive the clutch device (26) and change a clutch capacity, a control parameter sensor (58) configured to detect a control parameter of the clutch capacity and a control unit (60) configured to calculate a control target value (TP) of the control parameter. The control unit (60) causes the clutch device (26) to perform a stroke in a connection direction until an actual measurement value of the control parameter reaches the control target value (TP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junya Ono, Tatsuya Ryuzaki, Kazuyuki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 11668392
    Abstract: A method for rocking a vehicle free. The vehicle comprises a drive aggregate (2), a transmission (4), shifting elements (10), and a starting element (5). The rocking free process is carried out as a function of actuation of an accelerator pedal (11) by the driver or a torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2) as a function of the actuation of the accelerator pedal. The shifting element (10) is controlled such that reduced actuation of the accelerator pedal or reduced torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2), reduces a control pressure of the shifting element (10) of the transmission (4) down to a filling pressure or a pressure that corresponds to the filling pressure, and increased actuation of the accelerator pedal or increased torque delivered by the drive aggregate (2), increases the control pressure of the shifting element (10) and the shifting element is operated in a slipping mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Manuel Wenners, Marco Freimuth
  • Patent number: 11667193
    Abstract: Methods of controlling a tandem axle assembly in a vehicle, the tandem axle assembly including an inter-axle differential (IAD), one or more side gears, and a front tandem axle assembly having a pair of front tandem axle half shafts selectively connected to a pair of front tandem axle wheel hub assemblies. When a determined speed of the vehicle is greater or equal to a predetermined speed, the IAD may be locked, the tandem axle wheel hub assemblies may be disconnected from their respective tandem axle shafts, and/or the IAD may be moved out of engagement with the one or more side gears. When a determined speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, the IAD may be unlocked, the tandem axle wheel hub assemblies may be connected to their respective tandem axle shafts, and/or the IAD may be engaged with the one or more side gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Frenznick, Steven Mastroianni
  • Patent number: 11662019
    Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus including a first and second control valves switched to exert hydraulic pressure on a piston to press toward first position, a third and fourth control valves switched to exert hydraulic pressure on the piston to press toward second position and, a CPU. The CPU performs executing a first process controlling the control valves so that hydraulic pressure is exerted by switching of the first, second and third control valves or a second process controlling the control valves so that hydraulic pressure is exerted by switching of the second control valve and determining that the first control valve is failed when movement of the piston to the first position is not detected through the first process and determining that the third control valve is failed when movement of the piston to the first position is not detected through the second process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Noguchi, Shunsuke Yoshida, Yuki Ono, Nobuyuki Watanabe, Kotaro Hiramine, Yasunobu Tandai
  • Patent number: 11662018
    Abstract: A method and a system of diagnosing a vehicle oil leak are capable of detecting an oil leak state of transmission oil on the basis of logic. The method includes an operating condition determination step of determining, by a controller, whether a minimum operating condition of a vehicle is satisfied. The minimum operating condition is required to normally generate a target line pressure by operating an EOP. The method includes a counting step of counting, by the controller, an operating time of the EOP when the minimum operating condition is satisfied and includes an oil leak diagnosis step of diagnosing, by the controller, an oil leak when the counted continuous operating time of the EOP is a permissible time or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Young Min Yoon, Jae Yeol Yun
  • Patent number: 11655744
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards controlling uncontrolled release of ammonia from an engine of a vehicle. An estimated status of the engine is determined prior to an event, such as an estimated load on the engine prior to the vehicle going up a hill. A predictive model of uncontrolled ammonia release is generated for the estimated status. At least one engine-related countermeasure is selected based on the predictive model. If the predictive model of uncontrolled ammonia release with the selected countermeasures satisfies a threshold condition, then the selected engine-related countermeasure is employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: PACCAR INC
    Inventors: Jorge Rafael Lozada Ramirez, Carl Anders Hergart, Cynthia Chaffin Webb, Christopher S. Balton
  • Patent number: 11654878
    Abstract: A transfer (13) that changes a distribution ratio of torque to be transmitted to a wheel using an electric motor (43), is controlled by a TF-ECU (18). The TF-ECU (18) includes a driver circuit (200) that drives the electric motor (43), a current sensor (53) that detects an actual current of the electric motor (43), and a microcomputer (100) that calculates a target current (I*) corresponding to a desired distribution ratio of torque and performs current feedback control for calculating an operation amount (D) of the electric motor (43) so as to adjust an actual current (Ia) to the target current (I*), and then outputs to the driver circuit (200) a drive signal corresponding to the operation amount (D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Tamura
  • Patent number: 11654911
    Abstract: The powertrain device for a vehicle includes an engine and an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission includes a plurality of friction fastening elements for selectively switching motive power transmitting paths, a predetermined friction fastening element among the plurality of friction fastening elements is a travel-start friction fastening element performing slip control in a travel start, and the powertrain device includes, between the engine and the automatic transmission, a motive power connection-disconnection clutch which is released at least in an engine start and is fastened earlier than the travel-start friction fastening element in a travel start of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Narihito Hongawara, Takuya Sugisawa, Keitaro Kageyama, Satoshi Fujikawa, Hiroki Tanabe, Shingo Kodama
  • Patent number: 11648957
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving operation of a vehicle are presented. In one example, a controller may respond to a temperature of a catalyst to permit or temporarily inhibit a vehicle from moving. Engine load and engine emissions may be reduced by limiting vehicle motion until a catalyst temperature exceeds a threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rani Kiwan, Chris Paul Glugla
  • Patent number: 11644096
    Abstract: A diagnosis device determines diagnoses one of primary and secondary board temperature sensors as abnormal, in response to a condition that a state in which a primary temperature sensor value and a secondary temperature sensor value deviate from each other by a predetermined value or more continues for a predetermined duration or more; performs torque limitation to limit a torque inputted from an engine to an automatic transmission, during driving in a predetermined travel section based on a predetermined condition, after the one of the primary and secondary board temperature sensors is diagnosed as abnormal; and performs transmission shift restriction to restrict shifting of the automatic transmission along with the torque limitation, in response to a condition that the one of the primary and secondary board temperature sensors continues to be diagnosed as still abnormal after the driving in the predetermined travel section is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Hamano, Yasunori Murase
  • Patent number: 11644099
    Abstract: A method of shifting a vehicle transmission including a first clutching device and a second clutching device is described. At least a portion of the first clutching device is coupled with or configured to be coupled with at least a portion of the second clutching device. The method may include the steps of engaging the second clutching device, where engaging the second clutching device includes controlling a state of the second clutching device by changing a state of the first clutching device. A transmission controller and a vehicle driveline are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: DANA BELGIUM N.V.
    Inventors: Arnout R. L. De Mare, Jerome Janssens, Mark M. A. Maessen, Keivan Shariatmadar, Mark R. J. Versteyhe, Thomas J. Vyncke
  • Patent number: 11639753
    Abstract: A method for hysteresis compensation in an actuator and a selector fork that is adjustable by this actuator and guides a sliding sleeve, by means of a state machine, wherein the selector fork is moved by means of the actuator from a first shift position (xDecoup), namely a neutral position, into at least one second shift position (xCoup), namely a gear position, and vice versa, wherein the position of the actuator (phiAtr, phiCoup, phiDecoup), in the event of a shift request into the neutral position (xDecoup) or into the gear position (xCoup), is corrected on the basis of stored mechanical backlash (phiBL) between the actuator and the selector fork and of a sign (+1, 0, ?1) generated by the state machine and associated with the particular shift request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Markus Kohlböck
  • Patent number: 11635136
    Abstract: A method for operating a power shiftable transmission of a motor vehicle, the transmission including a control unit, an input shaft, an output shaft, a gear set, and multiple shift elements, the method including transmitting, with the control unit, a request for a reduction of a drive torque acting on the input shaft for carrying out an upshift, and determining, with the control unit, whether the reduction is completely possible, partially possible, or impossible based on a signal. When the reduction is completely possible, the method includes controlling, with the control unit, a torque transmission rate of a shift element of the multiple shift elements to be engaged during the upshift according to a first way. When the reduction is partially possible or impossible, the method includes controlling, with the control unit, the torque transmission rate according to a second way, the second way differing from the first way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Felix Bühle, Frank Deprez
  • Patent number: 11628842
    Abstract: In a vehicle drive device, a second power source is connected to a first rotating element of a differential mechanism, and the other output shaft of a first output shaft and a second output shaft is connected to a third rotating element so as to be disconnectable and connectable by a disconnection-connection mechanism. A control device places the disconnection-connection mechanism in a disconnected state. When a second traveling mode in which the third rotating element is fixed to a fixing member through engagement of an engaging element is switched to a first traveling mode in which the disconnection-connection mechanism is placed in a connected state, the control device disengages the engaging element, executes synchronous control in which rotational speeds of the other output shaft and the third rotating element are synchronized by a second power source, and switches the disconnection-connection mechanism from the disconnected state to the connected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Koji Takaira, Akinori Homan, Yosuke Akiyama, Akira Ijichi, Kunihiko Usui
  • Patent number: 11629481
    Abstract: A work machine includes an engine, a travel drive system, a work implement, an apparatus drive system with a hydraulic pump, an accelerator operating member, a work implement operating member, and a controller. The controller controls the apparatus drive system in accordance with an operating amount of the work implement operating member. The controller determines a target tractive force of the travel drive system based on an operating amount of the accelerator operating member. The controller determines an allowable acceleration of the work machine. The controller determines an upper limit of tractive force of the travel drive system based on the allowable acceleration. The controller corrects the target tractive force so as to be equal to or less than the upper limit when the target tractive force is greater than the upper limit. The controller controls the travel drive system based on the corrected target tractive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Yuita Takenaka, Kenichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 11628822
    Abstract: A control system for a work vehicle includes a power source including an engine and at least one electric motor configured to generate power; a transmission including a plurality of clutches coupled together and configured for selective engagement to transfer the power from the engine and the at least one electric motor along a power flow path to drive an output shaft of a powertrain according to a plurality of transmission modes; and a controller coupled to the power source and the transmission. The controller has a processor and memory architecture configured to: monitor an electric motor speed of the at least one electric motor; and generate and execute, when the electric motor speed is less than a first predetermined stall speed threshold, a clutch modulation command for the transmission such that at least one clutch of the plurality of clutches along the power flow path is partially engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Kyle K. McKinzie, Clayton G. Janasek
  • Patent number: 11623514
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for controlling an engine driven transport apparatus. The control device comprises a fitness apparatus having a base part and at least one movable part movable with respect to the base part for enabling a user to perform a physical exercise. The control device further comprises a sensor device for sensing a degree of physical exercise. The control device is arranged for controlling engine power of an engine of the transport apparatus at least partly based on the sensed degree of physical exercise. The fitness apparatus comprises a flywheel rotatably connected to the base part. The fitness apparatus is arranged for setting the flywheel into motion by means of at least one of the one or multiple movable parts. The sensor device is arranged to sense the degree of performed physical exercise at least partly by sensing a degree of motion of the flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Rassmal Investments LLC
    Inventor: Nasser Abdulmoeen Al Shawaf
  • Patent number: 11618457
    Abstract: A method of controlling the vehicle may include predicting, by a controller, a braking situation of the vehicle; performing, by the controller, brake distribution control of front and rear wheels of the vehicle in a response to a predicted sudden braking of the vehicle at a predetermined level; and performing, by the controller, independent braking control of the rear wheels of the vehicle in a response to a predicted general braking of the vehicle at the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hyunwoo Shin