Patents by Inventor Kathryn E. Mulligan

Kathryn E. Mulligan 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: 9020713
    Abstract: A transmission assembly in a vehicle includes a transmission configured to receive a transmission fluid. A controller operatively connected to the transmission and configured to store a first look-up table defining respective warm-up calibration factors (Fw) for a respective first set of ambient temperatures. The controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for determining a current temperature (TTF) of the transmission fluid. The vehicle is keyed off and then keyed on after a key-off time duration (te), the controller being deactivated when the vehicle is keyed off and activated when the vehicle is keyed on. The controller is configured to determine the current temperature of the transmission fluid (TTF) based at least partially on the first look-up table and a key-on temperature (TTFkey-on) of the transmission fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P. Houle, Paul A. Adam, Kathryn E. Mulligan
  • Patent number: 9008891
    Abstract: A method of rationalizing a plurality of temperature sensors associated with a plurality of electrical systems of a vehicle includes: maintaining each of the respective electrical systems of the vehicle in a non-operational state for a predetermined period of time; receiving a temperature reading from each of the plurality of temperature sensors following the predetermined period of time; computing a master-reference temperature value from the plurality of received temperature readings; determining a difference between each of the respectively received temperature readings and the computed master-reference temperature value; comparing each determined difference to a threshold; and providing an indicator if one or more of the determined differences exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P Houle, Andrew M. Zettel, Kathryn E Mulligan, Paul A Adam
  • Patent number: 8810418
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle powertrain including a hybrid transmission in power-flow communication with an electric traction motor, a fluid pump, and a flow controller electrically connected to the fluid pump. The fluid pump is configured to supply fluid at an adjustable fluid flow rate to the hybrid transmission and the electric traction motor in response to a command from the flow controller. The flow controller is electrically connected to the fluid pump and configured to controllably modulate the operating speed of the fluid pump to adjust the fluid flow rate. If the difference between an expected rate of speed change of the fluid pump and the actual rate of speed change exceeds a threshold, the flow controller may limit the total amount of electrical power supplied to the electric traction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P Houle, Jean Marie Miller, Valerie Zelko Byrd, Kathryn E Mulligan
  • Publication number: 20140145850
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle powertrain including a hybrid transmission in power-flow communication with an electric traction motor, a fluid pump, and a flow controller electrically connected to the fluid pump. The fluid pump is configured to supply fluid at an adjustable fluid flow rate to the hybrid transmission and the electric traction motor in response to a command from the flow controller. The flow controller is electrically connected to the fluid pump and configured to controllably modulate the operating speed of the fluid pump to adjust the fluid flow rate. If the difference between an expected rate of speed change of the fluid pump and the actual rate of speed change exceeds a threshold, the flow controller may limit the total amount of electrical power supplied to the electric traction motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P. Houle, Jean Marie Miller, Valerie Zelko Byrd, Kathryn E. Mulligan
  • Publication number: 20140095017
    Abstract: A method of rationalizing a plurality of temperature sensors associated with a plurality of electrical systems of a vehicle includes: maintaining each of the respective electrical systems of the vehicle in a non-operational state for a predetermined period of time; receiving a temperature reading from each of the plurality of temperature sensors following the predetermined period of time; computing a master-reference temperature value from the plurality of received temperature readings; determining a difference between each of the respectively received temperature readings and the computed master-reference temperature value; comparing each determined difference to a threshold; and providing an indicator if one or more of the determined differences exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P. Houle, Andrew M. Zettel, Kathryn E. Mulligan, Paul A. Adam