Patents by Inventor Allen B. Rayl

Allen B. Rayl has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140053804
    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: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Randall S. Beikmann, Sanjeev M. Naik
  • Publication number: 20140041624
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a cylinder control module and a valve control module. The cylinder control module deactivates and reactivates a cylinder of an engine based on a driver torque request while an ignition system associated with the engine is in an on position. The valve control module selectively adjusts a period for which at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the cylinder are opened based on a first time when the cylinder is reactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 8631688
    Abstract: A system according to the present disclosure includes a pressure estimation module and a fault detection module. The pressure estimation module estimates a pressure of hydraulic fluid in a valve actuation system that actuates at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of an engine. The fault detection module compares the estimated pressure to a pressure measured by a pressure sensor disposed in the valve actuation system and detects a fault in the pressure sensor based on a difference between the estimated pressure and the measured pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Daniel G. Brennan, Craig D. Marriott
  • Patent number: 8504278
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling engine operation includes a timer module that determines a time period from when a catalyst light-off mode is entered to when an oxygen sensor signal reaches an oxygen sensor threshold and a comparison module that generates an error signal and determines when the time period is above a time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Jonathan T. Shibata, Allen B. Rayl, Halim G Santoso, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Patent number: 8397490
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling an engine includes a homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) mode control module that operates an engine in HCCI mode and a condition monitor module that monitors operating conditions of the engine. The control module also includes a condition predictor module that generates a first predicted condition of a catalyst in response to the operating conditions of the engine. A comparison module compares the first predicted condition to a first threshold. A spark injection mode control module operates the engine in a spark injection mode in response to comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Shibata, Allen B. Rayl, Vijay Ramappan
  • Patent number: 8381700
    Abstract: An engine control system for a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine includes a position determination module, a position correction module, and a valve control module. The position determination module determines an initial position of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve based on a predetermined function of a desired EGR flow, intake manifold pressure, exhaust manifold pressure, and exhaust gas temperature. The position correction module determines a position correction for the EGR valve based on pressure in a cylinder of the HCCI engine. The valve control module commands the EGR valve to the initial position during a transition from spark ignition (SI) combustion to HCCI combustion, and commands the EGR valve to a final position within a predetermined period after the transition, wherein the final position includes a sum of the initial position and the position correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Inventors: Vijay Ramappan, Allen B. Rayl
  • Patent number: 8364380
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling an engine includes a desired fuel mass determination module that determines fuel mass for injection into a cylinder. The system also includes a split determination module that splits the fuel mass into split fuel masses and a pulsewidth determination module that converts the split fuel masses into injection pulsewidths outside of an injector operation exclusion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Andrew P. Bagnasco
  • Patent number: 8322324
    Abstract: A control system and method for operating an engine includes an HCCI mode control module operating an engine in a homogeneous charge compression (HCCI) mode. The control system also includes a difference module determining an actual difference between a desired torque amount and a spark ignition (SI) threshold. An SI mode control module operates the engine in a SI state when the actual difference is above a threshold band. A HCCI mode control module operates the engine in the HCCI mode for a predetermined time when the actual difference is within the torque threshold band. The HCCI mode control module operates the engine in the HCCI mode when the actual difference is below the torque threshold band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventors: Vijay Ramappan, Peter Kafarnik, Allen B. Rayl, Jonathan T. Shibata
  • Patent number: 8326511
    Abstract: A control system for a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine includes a fuel requirement estimation module, a torque estimation module, and a torque control module. The fuel requirement estimation module estimates a fuel requirement of the HCCI engine based on a desired indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) of cylinders in the HCCI engine. The torque estimation module estimates a torque output of the HCCI engine based on the estimated fuel requirement. The torque control module adjusts the torque output of the HCCI engine based on the estimated torque output and a desired torque output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Shibata, Allen B. Rayl, Andrew P. Bagnasco, Jun-Mo Kang, Peter Kafarnik
  • Publication number: 20120277970
    Abstract: A system includes a net mean effective pressure (NMEP) error module, a correction determination module, a mean effective pressure (MEP) correction module, and an actuator control module. The NMEP error module determines an NMEP error for a combustion cycle of a cylinder based on an expected NMEP for the combustion cycle, a measured NMEP for the combustion cycle, and a difference between an expected change in an engine speed for the combustion cycle and a measured change in the engine speed for the combustion cycle. The correction determination module determines an offset correction and a slope correction based on the NMEP error. The MEP correction module that generates a corrected NMEP for the combustion cycle based on the measured NMEP, the offset correction, and the slope correction. The actuator control module controls an engine operating parameter based on the corrected NMEP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Allen B. Rayl
  • Publication number: 20120277972
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle, includes first, second, and third setpoint generation modules, a scaling module, and an actuator control module. The first setpoint generation module generates a first target value for an combustion parameter of an engine based on a predetermined value of a combustion stability of the engine. The second setpoint generation module generates a second target value for the combustion parameter based on a predetermined fuel efficiency. The scaling module generates a scaled value for the combustion parameter based on the first and second target values and a scalar value. The third setpoint generation module generates a third target value for the combustion parameter based on the first target value and the scaled value. The actuator control module controls at least one engine actuator associated with the combustion parameter based on the third target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Allen B. Rayl
  • Patent number: 8290686
    Abstract: Transitioning between combustion modes includes an intermediate combustion mode. Transitions are controlled in accordance with a preferred fuel mass and permissible fuel mass ranges corresponding to changing intake airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Hanho Yun, Allen B. Rayl, Vijay Ramappan, Matthew A. Wiles
  • Patent number: 8290690
    Abstract: A method and control module for controlling an engine includes a lift command module that commands a first lift state after detecting an engine shut-down signal and a shut-down delay determination module that determines a shut-down delay period, that continues spark and fuel control before the shut-down delay period and that ends spark and fuel control to shut down the engine after the shut-down delay period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Inventor: Allen B. Rayl
  • Patent number: 8239119
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling an engine includes a normal individual cylinder fuel correction determination module determining normal pulse mode individual cylinder fuel corrections in a normal pulse mode. The system also includes a split pulse enable module operating the fuel injectors in split pulse mode having a linear pulse and a ballistic pulse smaller than the linear pulse. The system also includes a split pulse individual cylinder fuel correction determination module determining split pulse mode individual cylinder fuel corrections in the split pulse mode. The system also includes a ballistic pulse adaptation module adjusting ballistic pulse calibration values in response to the normal pulse mode individual cylinder fuel corrections and the split pulse mode individual cylinder fuel corrections to form adjusted ballistic pulse calibration values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Inventors: Andrew P. Bagnasco, Allen B. Rayl, Raymond Claude Turin
  • Patent number: 8220436
    Abstract: A control system and method for operating an engine includes a spark ignited (SI) control module controlling the engine in a spark ignited mode, a pre-homogeneous charge compression (HCCI) module controlling the engine in an HCCI mode after the spark ignited mode, and an HCCI module controlling the engine in an HCCI mode after the pre-HCCI mode. The SI module controls the engine in the SI mode after the HCCI mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Jun-Mo Kang, Vijay Ramappan, Matthew A. Wiles, Hanho Yun, Peter Kafarnik
  • Patent number: 8160802
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises a ringing index (RI) determination module, a fueling threshold determination module, and a combustion mode determination module. The ringing index (RI) determination module determines an RI value of a cylinder of an engine and compares the RI value and a predetermined RI threshold. The fueling threshold determination module determines a fueling threshold and adjusts the fueling threshold based on the comparison of the RI value and the RI threshold. The combustion mode determination module selects a combustion mode for the engine based on a comparison of a current fueling rate and the fueling threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventors: Vijay Ramappan, Jun-Mo Kang, Allen B. Rayl
  • Patent number: 8036807
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of controllable engine actuators includes operating the engine in a first combustion mode using a first control scheme while simultaneously simulating operating the engine in a second combustion mode using a second control scheme and in accordance with simulated control settings for the plurality of controllable engine actuators, and transitioning operation of the engine to the second combustion mode using the second control scheme and initially in accordance with the simulated control settings for the plurality of controllable engine actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Chen-Fang Chang, Allen B. Rayl, Vijay Ramappan, Peter Kafarnik
  • Publication number: 20110238280
    Abstract: A control system for a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine includes a fuel requirement estimation module, a torque estimation module, and a torque control module. The fuel requirement estimation module estimates a fuel requirement of the HCCI engine based on a desired indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) of cylinders in the HCCI engine. The torque estimation module estimates a torque output of the HCCI engine based on the estimated fuel requirement. The torque control module adjusts the torque output of the HCCI engine based on the estimated torque output and a desired torque output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Shibata, Allen B. Rayl, Andrew P. Bagnasco, Jun-Mo Kang, Peter Kafarnik
  • Patent number: 7975668
    Abstract: A control system for an engine comprises an air per cylinder (APC) generating module that generates measured and desired APC values. A combustion transition module selectively transitions the engine from spark ignition (SI) combustion to homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion and from HCCI combustion to SI combustion. A spark control module selectively retards spark during the transitions based on a ratio of the measured APC value and the desired APC value. Alternately, spark retard can be based on measured and desired engine torque representing values (ETRVs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventors: Vijay Ramappan, Allen B. Rayl, Jun-Mo Kang, Peter Kafarnik, Matthew A. Wiles, Hanho Yun
  • Patent number: 7979195
    Abstract: A valve control system for an internal combustion engine includes a valve actuation system that actuates each of an intake valve and an exhaust valve between N open lift modes where N is an integer greater than one. A control module defines a switching window having a start time based on intake valve timing and an end time based on exhaust valve timing. The control module enables transitioning of at least one of the intake and exhaust valves between the N open lift modes based on the switching window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Allen B. Rayl