Patents by Inventor Louis A Avallone
Louis A Avallone 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).
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Patent number: 7593806Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a first counter that indicates a first count of a number of cylinders of an engine of the vehicle that are fueled. A second counter indicates a second count of the number of cylinders that are fueled. A control module determines a secure count based on the first count and the second count. The control module adjusts torque output of the engine based on the secure count.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2008Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Louis A. Avallone, Timothy J. Hartrey, Mark D. Carr, Vivek Mehta, Bahram Younessi
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Publication number: 20090216425Abstract: A fuel control system includes a pressure comparison module that generates a pressure control signal when a fuel supply pressure is greater than a predetermined pressure value, a temperature comparison module that generates a temperature control signal when a temperature of an engine is greater than a predetermined temperature value, and a pre-crank fuel module that selectively dispenses pre-crank fuel prior to cranking the engine based on the pressure control signal and the temperature control signal. A related fuel control method is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2008Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INCInventors: James D. Hay, Mark D. Carr, Jeffrey M. Hutmacher, Louis A. Avallone, Jon C. Miller
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Publication number: 20090150057Abstract: A heating module for an oxygen sensor comprises an estimated mass module, a cumulative mass module, and a temperature control module. The estimated mass module determines an estimated mass of intake air to remove condensation from an exhaust system after startup of an engine. The cumulative mass module determines a cumulative mass of intake air after the engine startup. The temperature control module adjusts a temperature of an oxygen sensor measuring oxygen in the exhaust system to a first predetermined temperature after the engine startup and adjusts the temperature to a second predetermined temperature when the cumulative air mass is greater than the estimated air mass, wherein the second predetermined temperature is greater than the first predetermined temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Justin F. Adams, Louis A. Avallone, Dale W. Mckim, Jeffrey A. Sell, John W. Siekkinen, Julian R. Verdejo
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Publication number: 20090118985Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a first counter that indicates a first count of a number of cylinders of an engine of the vehicle that are fueled. A second counter indicates a second count of the number of cylinders that are fueled. A control module determines a secure count based on the first count and the second count. The control module adjusts torque output of the engine based on the secure count.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2008Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Louis A. Avallone, Timothy J. Hartrey, Mark D. Carr, Vivek Mehta, Bahram Younessi
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Publication number: 20090115593Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for warning a driver of a first motor vehicle that it is approaching a second motor vehicle. One system includes a processor coupled to a detector and an alarm device. The processor is in cooperation with the detector to determine a speed of the first vehicle and to activate the alarm device if the speed at which the first vehicle is approaching the second vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed. Another system includes means for determining a speed the first motor vehicle is approaching the second motor vehicle and means for warning the driver of the first motor vehicle if the speed is greater than the threshold speed. A method includes detecting a speed that the first motor vehicle is approaching the second motor vehicle and transmitting a warning to the first motor vehicle driver if the speed is greater than a threshold speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2007Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: LOUIS A. AVALLONE, XUAN T. AVALLONE, CLARK E. MC CALL
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Patent number: 7526375Abstract: An engine control system is provided. The system includes: an engine torque module that estimates torque output based on charge energy; and a cylinder mode module that controls fuel cut-off and adjusts spark timing to the engine based on the torque output.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2007Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Louis A. Avallone, Stuart R. Smith, Donovan L. Dibble
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Patent number: 7526374Abstract: An engine control module determining an alcohol compensated fuel consumption value includes an alcohol percent module that determines an alcohol percent in fuel and a fuel mass module that determines a mass of the fuel. The engine control module also includes a fuel volume module that calculates a volume of the fuel based on the mass of the fuel, a density of the fuel, and the alcohol percent.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2007Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Carr, Louis A. Avallone, Michael J. Svestka, Kevin J. Storch
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Publication number: 20090071447Abstract: A method comprises detecting a status of a transfer pump for transferring fuel between a first fuel source and a second fuel source; receiving a fuel trim value and a vehicle operating parameter; and calculating a fuel composition of one of the first fuel source and second fuel source based on the fuel trim value, the transfer pump status and the vehicle operating parameter. A control module comprises a secondary pump transfer module detecting a status of a transfer pump for transferring fuel between a first fuel source and a second fuel source; and a fuel composition estimation module in communication with the secondary pump transfer module, receiving a fuel trim value and a vehicle operating parameter, and calculating a fuel composition of one of the first fuel source and second fuel source based on the fuel trim value, the transfer pump status, and the vehicle operating parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Mark D. Carr, Louis A. Avallone, Julian R. Verdejo, Jeffrey A. Sell, Shuanita Robinson
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Publication number: 20090064976Abstract: A system for estimating fuel concentration comprises an ethanol estimating module that generates an ethanol estimate based on baseline closed loop corrections (CLC). A fuel system module controls fuel to an engine and generates a fuel system error. The ethanol estimating module selectively adjusts the baseline CLC and the ethanol estimate based on the fuel system error. A method for estimating fuel concentration comprises generating an ethanol estimate based on baseline closed loop corrections (CLC); controlling fuel to an engine and generating a fuel system error; and selectively adjusting said baseline CLC and said ethanol estimate based on said fuel system error.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Inventors: Mark D. Carr, Louis A. Avallone, Ian J. MacEwen, Wajdi B. Hamama, Julian R. Verdejo
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Publication number: 20090048766Abstract: A fuel control system of an engine system comprises a pre-catalyst exhaust gas oxygen (EGO) sensor and a control module. The pre-catalyst EGO sensor determines a pre-catalyst EGO signal based on an oxygen concentration of an exhaust gas. The control module determines at least one fuel command and determines at least one expected oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas. The control module determines a final fuel command for the engine system based on the pre-catalyst EGO signal, the fuel command, and the expected oxygen concentration.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2008Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: KENNETH P. DUDEK, SAI S.V. RAJAGOPALAN, STEPHEN YURKOVICH, YANN G. GUEZENNEC, Shawn W. Midlam-Mohler, LOUIS A. AVALLONE, IGOR ANILOVICH
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Publication number: 20090037073Abstract: A control system for an engine of a vehicle includes a requested torque module that determines a first requested torque based on an accelerator pedal position and a current engine torque output capacity. An accelerator effective position module determines an accelerator effective position based on a requested driver axle torque request signal. A power enrichment (PE) module enables a PE mode to provide a richer than stoichiometric fuel equivalence ratio based on the first requested torque and the accelerator effective position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2008Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jaehak Jung, Louis A. Avallone, Christopher E. Whitney, Leonard G. Wozniak, Klaus Pochner, Jeffrey M. Kaiser
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Patent number: 7467628Abstract: A control system for an oxygen sensor heater is provided. The control system includes a passive heater control module that generates a heater control signal at a first duty cycle and measures a resistance of the oxygen sensor heater. An exhaust gas temperature mapping module maps the resistance to an exhaust gas temperature. An active heater control module generates a heater control signal at a second duty cycle based on the exhaust gas temperature.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2007Date of Patent: December 23, 2008Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Justin F. Adams, Louis A. Avallone, Dale W. McKim, Jeffrey A. Sell, John W. Siekkinen, Julian R. Verdejo
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Publication number: 20080223334Abstract: An engine control system is provided. The system includes: an engine torque module that estimates torque output based on charge energy; and a cylinder mode module that controls fuel cut-off and adjusts spark timing to the engine based on the torque output.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Louis A. Avallone, Stuart R. Smith, Donovan L. Dibble
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Publication number: 20080223453Abstract: An engine control module determining an alcohol compensated fuel consumption value includes an alcohol percent module that determines an alcohol percent in fuel and a fuel mass module that determines a mass of the fuel. The engine control module also includes a fuel volume module that calculates a volume of the fuel based on the mass of the fuel, a density of the fuel, and the alcohol percent.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Inventors: Mark D. Carr, Louis A. Avallone, Michael J. Svestka, Kevin J. Storch
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Publication number: 20080178856Abstract: A control system for an oxygen sensor heater is provided. The control system includes a passive heater control module that generates a heater control signal at a first duty cycle and measures a resistance of the oxygen sensor heater. An exhaust gas temperature mapping module maps the resistance to an exhaust gas temperature. An active heater control module generates a heater control signal at a second duty cycle based on the exhaust gas temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2007Publication date: July 31, 2008Inventors: Justin F. Adams, Louis A. Avallone, Dale W. McKim, Jeffrey A. Sell, John W. Siekkinen, Julian R. Verdejo
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Patent number: 7152594Abstract: A method for detecting emissions from an internal combustion engine generally including determining a reference air/fuel mixture signal based on an engine speed and an airflow into the engine. The method includes determining an actual air/fuel mixture signal from an air/fuel mixture sensor and comparing the reference air/fuel mixture signal to the actual air/fuel mixture signal. The method also includes determining whether an air/fuel imbalance condition occurs based on the comparison and setting a service indicator based on the determination of whether the air/fuel imbalance condition occurred.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2005Date of Patent: December 26, 2006Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Igor Anilovich, Louis A Avallone, David N. Belton, Ian J. Mac Ewen, Vincent A. White
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Publication number: 20060260593Abstract: A method for detecting emissions from an internal combustion engine generally including determining a reference air/fuel mixture signal based on an engine speed and an airflow into the engine. The method includes determining an actual air/fuel mixture signal from an air/fuel mixture sensor and comparing the reference air/fuel mixture signal to the actual air/fuel mixture signal. The method also includes determining whether an air/fuel imbalance condition occurs based on the comparison and setting a service indicator based on the determination of whether the air/fuel imbalance condition occurred.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2005Publication date: November 23, 2006Inventors: Igor Anilovich, Louis Avallone, David Belton, Ian Mac Ewen, Vincent White
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Publication number: 20060196487Abstract: A fuel control compensation system for sensor degradation in an exhaust system of a vehicle includes a first module that determines a response time of a signal generated by a sensor of the exhaust system. A second module determines an offset gain based on the response time and a nominal response time. Fuel control of an engine of the vehicle is regulated based on the offset gain.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2005Publication date: September 7, 2006Inventors: David Belton, Igor Anilovich, Julian Verdejo, Richard Jess, John Siekkinen, Kevin Person, Louis Avallone, Thomas Pelton
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Publication number: 20050241297Abstract: A control system and method for optimizing fuel control in an internal combustion engine utilizes a signal from an oxygen sensor disposed in an exhaust downstream of a catalytic converter. An air/fuel mixture introduced into the engine is compensated based on the signal exceeding predetermined enabling thresholds. The predetermined rich or lean condition enable threshold represents an oxygen content so less or greater than desired that the normal closed loop control including regular secondary fuel trim is not sufficient enough to bring the outlet oxygen sensor signal back to the desired window quickly. A reduced or increased amount of fuel is introduced into the engine based on the signal exceeding the predetermined rich or lean enable threshold respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2004Publication date: November 3, 2005Inventors: Wenbo Wang, Igor Anilovich, Louis Avallone, Daniel Draper, Michael Emmorey, Brian Wallace