Patents by Inventor Domenico Tavella

Domenico Tavella 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: 9168881
    Abstract: Automotive electrical system for a motor vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle; the electric vehicle system comprising a series of electric vehicle loads, an electric battery, and an alternator generating a supply voltage of the electric vehicle loads and of the electric battery; the alternator comprising an inductive electric circuit adapted to be crossed by an electric control current; the electric vehicle system comprises an alternator electronic control system configured so as to determine a series of battery parameters (pam_bat) indicating the state of operation of the electric battery; determine at least a first vehicle parameter indicating the acceleration of the motor vehicle; determine the operative state of the internal combustion engine; determine an electric regulation voltage according to the operative engine station, to the vehicle parameter and to the battery parameters; vary an electric control current circulating in the inductive electric circuit of the alternato
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fabio Garofalo, Alessandro Riegel, Angelo Sanapo, Domenico Tavella, Nando Vennettilli
  • Patent number: 8768586
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle equipped with an internal-combustion engine with a “stop and start” system. The method provides, during vehicle running, for learning the “duty cycle” values associated with the odd gears and even gears, determining the “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears and “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears, determining a duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds on the basis of the “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears and “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears, and controlling the “stop and start” system on the basis of the duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Zanotti, Domenico Tavella, Ferdinando De Cristofaro, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20130313897
    Abstract: Automotive electrical system for a motor vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle; the electric vehicle system comprising a series of electric vehicle loads, an electric battery, and an alternator generating a supply voltage of the electric vehicle loads and of the electric battery; the alternator comprising an inductive electric circuit adapted to be crossed by an electric control current; the electric vehicle system comprises an alternator electronic control system configured so as to determine a series of battery parameters (pam_bat) indicating the state of operation of the electric battery; determine at least a first vehicle parameter indicating the acceleration of the motor vehicle; determine the operative state of the internal combustion engine; determine an electric regulation voltage according to the operative engine station, to the vehicle parameter and to the battery parameters; vary an electric control current circulating in the inductive electric circuit of the alternato
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p. A.
    Inventors: Fabio Garofalo, Alessandro Riegel, Angelo Sanapo, Domenico Tavella, Nando Vennettilli
  • Publication number: 20130261911
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle equipped with an internal-combustion engine with a “stop and start” system. The method provides, during vehicle running, for learning the “duty cycle” values associated with the odd gears and even gears, determining the “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears and “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears, determining a duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds on the basis of the “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears and “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears, and controlling the “stop and start” system on the basis of the duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicants: Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Zanotti, Domenico Tavella, Ferdinando de Cristofaro, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 8224592
    Abstract: A method is described for estimating the intake air flow rate in an internal combustion engine provided with an air intake system, wherein said system comprises valve means for controlling an intake air flow rate, characterized in that it comprises the phases of implementing a first and a second algorithm, suitable to determine respectively a first and a second engine intake air flow rate; and of selecting the first or the second flow rate, on the basis of a previously defined selection criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.P.A.
    Inventors: Ferdinando De Cristofaro, Alessandro Riegel, Domenico Tavella
  • Patent number: 8145405
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine for motor vehicles, for example a petrol-fuelled engine or a gas-fuelled engine, is provided with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for variable actuation of the intake valves. The system of variable actuation of the intake valves is governed by an electronic control unit that is programmed for performing at least once, at the start of the life of the engine, an activity of supervision of the functions of self-adaptive control of the air-fuel ratio. The supervision activity is based upon identification of a constant ratio between a delta in the value of the crank angle used by the electronic control unit and the error in the estimation of the air-fuel ratio by the electronic control unit when the system of actuation of the intake valves operates in late-opening mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventors: Ferdinando De Cristoforo, Fabio Garofalo, Eduardo Sepe, Domenico Tavella
  • Publication number: 20100168987
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine for motor vehicles, for example a petrol-fuelled engine or a gas-fuelled engine, is provided with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for variable actuation of the intake valves. The system of variable actuation of the intake valves is governed by an electronic control unit that is programmed for performing at least once, at the start of the life of the engine, an activity of supervision of the functions of self-adaptive control of the air-fuel ratio. The supervision activity is based upon identification of a constant ratio between a delta in the value of the crank angle used by the electronic control unit and the error in the estimation of the air-fuel ratio by the electronic control unit when the system of actuation of the intake valves operates in late-opening mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Ferdinando DE CRISTOFORO, Fabio Garofalo, Eduardo Sepe, Domenico Tavella
  • Publication number: 20090143998
    Abstract: A method is described for estimating the intake air flow rate in an internal combustion engine provided with an air intake system, wherein said system comprises valve means for controlling an intake air flow rate, characterized in that it comprises the phases of implementing a first and a second algorithm, suitable to determine respectively a first and a second engine intake air flow rate; and of selecting the first or the second flow rate, on the basis of a previously defined selection criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Ferdinando De Cristofaro, Alessandro Riegel, Domenico Tavella