Patents by Inventor Brian M Porto

Brian M Porto 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).

  • Patent number: 10161512
    Abstract: A transmission includes a torque converter with an impeller, a turbine, a torque converter clutch, a hydraulic torque converter clutch control circuit and a controller that commands a first pressure into the hydraulic torque converter clutch control circuit during a transition period between a torque converter clutch OFF mode to a torque converter clutch ON mode and prior to the torque converter clutch reaching capacity and a second pressure into the hydraulic torque converter clutch control circuit after the torque converter clutch reaches capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventors: Brian M Porto, Jason Jousma, Patrick A Lewis, Jason M France
  • Patent number: 10053099
    Abstract: A transmission is provided having a control module, an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of interconnecting members, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes. The control module includes a control logic sequence for performing a coasting downshift of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dara Monajemi, Matthew D. Whitton, Brian M. Porto
  • Publication number: 20180058576
    Abstract: A transmission includes a torque converter with an impeller, a turbine, a torque converter clutch, a hydraulic torque converter clutch control circuit and a controller that commands a first pressure into the hydraulic torque converter clutch control circuit during a transition period between a torque converter clutch OFF mode to a torque converter clutch ON mode and prior to the torque converter clutch reaching capacity and a second pressure into the hydraulic torque converter clutch control circuit after the torque converter clutch reaches capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Brian M. Porto, Jason Jousma, Patrick A. Lewis, Jason M. France
  • Publication number: 20170341651
    Abstract: A transmission is provided having a control module, an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of interconnecting members, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes. The control module includes a control logic sequence for performing a coasting downshift of the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Dara Monajemi, Matthew D. Whitton, Brian M. Porto
  • Patent number: 9803704
    Abstract: A transmission for a vehicle having a prime mover with an output shaft. The transmission includes an offgoing clutch that is selectively connected to the output shaft, and a controller in communication with the prime mover. The controller includes an offgoing clutch control module that determines an offgoing clutch torque profile at the start of a torque phase in a power downshift that does not exceed a predetermined offgoing clutch energy threshold and a torque request module that limits a rate of input torque into the transmission from the prime mover based upon the determined offgoing clutch torque profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dara Monajemi, Brian M Porto
  • Patent number: 9140359
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a dry dual-clutch transmission (dDCT) having a pair of input clutches and a gearbox containing oddly- and evenly-numbered gear sets, and a transmission control module (TCM). Application of one of input clutches connects the engine to a corresponding one of the oddly- or evenly-numbered gear sets. The TCM includes feed-forward PID-based control logic, and a torque-to-position (TTP) table for each input clutch. The TCM commands a position of a designated input clutch during a power-on upshift using the feed-forward, PID-based control logic, and selectively adapts the TTP table as a function of an inertia and acceleration value of the engine. The TCM may apply an asymmetrical handoff profile to commanded oncoming and offgoing clutch torques during the torque phase of the upshift. The TCM may also adjust the TTP table as a function of the frequency of use of the input clutches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. Porto, Matthew D. Whitton, Steven P. Moorman, Craig J. Hawkins, Roberto Diaz
  • Patent number: 8818663
    Abstract: Clutch pressure of an oncoming clutch may be determined during an upshift in an automatic transmission by determining when offgoing and oncoming clutches of the transmission near a speed synchronization point. Aboard a vehicle, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) feedback control logic of for the oncoming clutch may be activated via a controller. The controller and the activated PID logic may be used to introduce a calibrated slip error between the rotational speeds of the offgoing and oncoming clutches. Engine speed is then held in a calibrated flare using the PID logic. Oncoming clutch pressure is recorded during the duration of the calibrated flare, and a control action is executed with respect to the transmission using the recorded oncoming clutch pressure, e.g., using recorded PID gains and/or a pressure/torque relationship of the oncoming clutch. A vehicle having an engine, transmission, and controller may use the controller to execute such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Todd J. Thor, Brian M. Porto
  • Patent number: 8798884
    Abstract: A clutch control process for a motor vehicle transmission during brake lift-out monitors a time rate of change of a brake pedal position and torque to detect a lift-out condition with rapidly changing torque. When the process detects a brake lift-out condition, the process limits the minimum scheduled clutch pressure as well as modifies the clutch pressure to torque relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. Porto, Brian H. Fiore
  • Publication number: 20140195131
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a dry dual-clutch transmission (dDCT) having a pair of input clutches and a gearbox containing oddly- and evenly-numbered gear sets, and a transmission control module (TCM). Application of one of input clutches connects the engine to a corresponding one of the oddly- or evenly-numbered gear sets. The TCM includes feed-forward PID-based control logic, and a torque-to-position (TTP) table for each input clutch. The TCM commands a position of a designated input clutch during a power-on upshift using the feed-forward, PID-based control logic, and selectively adapts the TTP table as a function of an inertia and acceleration value of the engine. The TCM may apply an asymmetrical handoff profile to commanded oncoming and offgoing clutch torques during the torque phase of the upshift. The TCM may also adjust the TTP table as a function of the frequency of use of the input clutches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Inventors: Brian M. Porto, Matthew D. Whitton, Steven P. Moorman, Craig J. Hawkins, Roberto Diaz
  • Publication number: 20140032064
    Abstract: Clutch pressure of an oncoming clutch may be determined during an upshift in an automatic transmission by determining when offgoing and oncoming clutches of the transmission near a speed synchronization point. Aboard a vehicle, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) feedback control logic of for the oncoming clutch may be activated via a controller. The controller and the activated PID logic may be used to introduce a calibrated slip error between the rotational speeds of the offgoing and oncoming clutches. Engine speed is then held in a calibrated flare using the PID logic. Oncoming clutch pressure is recorded during the duration of the calibrated flare, and a control action is executed with respect to the transmission using the recorded oncoming clutch pressure, e.g., using recorded PID gains and/or a pressure/torque relationship of the oncoming clutch. A vehicle having an engine, transmission, and controller may use the controller to execute such a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC.
    Inventors: Todd J. Thor, Brian M. Porto
  • Publication number: 20120265415
    Abstract: A clutch control process for a motor vehicle transmission during brake lift-out monitors a time rate of change of a brake pedal position and torque to detect a lift-out condition with rapidly changing torque. When the process detects a brake lift-out condition, the process limits the minimum scheduled clutch pressure as well as modifies the clutch pressure to torque relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. PORTO, Brian H. FIORE
  • Patent number: 8116932
    Abstract: A system includes an auxiliary pump that provides pressurized fluid to a transmission during an engine auto stop/start event. A mechanical pump provides pressurized fluid to a transmission during engine operation after the engine auto stop/start event. An auxiliary pump diagnostic system includes a slip determination module that determines slip of a torque converter based on an engine speed and a transmission input speed. A fault determination module diagnoses a fault in the auxiliary pump in response to an engine auto start and based on the slip of the torque converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventors: William L. Aldrich, III, Steven A. Tarnowsky, Michael E. Polom, Roger Joseph Rademacher, Donald D. Crites, Keith D. Van Maanen, Brian M Porto, Michael Chernyak
  • Publication number: 20100217470
    Abstract: An auxiliary pump diagnostic system includes a slip determination module and a fault determination module. The slip determination module determines slip of a torque converter based on an engine speed and a transmission input speed. The fault determination module diagnoses a fault in an auxiliary pump based on the slip of the torque converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: William L. Aldrich, III, Steven A. Tarnowsky, Michael E. Polom, Roger Joseph Rademacher, Donald D. Crites, Keith D. Van Maanen, Brian M. Porto, Michael Chernyak