Patents by Inventor Matthew G. Villella

Matthew G. Villella 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: 7444222
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a slip control for an active driveline device (such as an electronic limited slip differential (eLSD)) that corrects for longitudinal tire slip in the turning wheels of a vehicle. Indicia of a yaw rate of the vehicle are obtained by the eLSD, which then determining a target velocity difference for the turning wheels based at least in upon the yaw rate, along with other factors such as difference in wheel rotation speed or the wheel-road angle of the vehicle. Using these measured parameters, a slip control signal can be applied to the eLSD as a function of the determined target velocity difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew G. Villella, Edmund F. Gaffney
  • Publication number: 20080082243
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a slip control for an active driveline device (such as an electronic limited slip differential (eLSD)) that corrects for longitudinal tire slip in the turning wheels of a vehicle. Indicia of a yaw rate of the vehicle are obtained by the eLSD, which then determining a target velocity difference for the turning wheels based at least in upon the yaw rate, along with other factors such as difference in wheel rotation speed or the wheel-road angle of the vehicle. Using these measured parameters, a slip control signal can be applied to the eLSD as a function of the determined target velocity difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew G. Villella, Edmund F. Gaffney
  • Patent number: 7308353
    Abstract: A method for closed loop vehicle dynamic control with a yaw rate controller, such as for example a TVD, utilizing a first understeer gradient for vehicle lateral accelerations at or below a vehicle lateral acceleration threshold and a second understeer gradient for vehicle lateral accelerations thereabove, wherein the vehicle lateral acceleration threshold defines a vehicle lateral acceleration transition point. A first desired vehicle yaw rate per the first understeer gradient is determined, and a second desired vehicle yaw rate per the second understeer gradient is determined, wherein the second desired vehicle yaw rate at the predetermined vehicle lateral acceleration transition point is calibrated to equal the first desired vehicle yaw rate at the predetermined vehicle lateral acceleration transition point so as to avoid any discontinuity therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew G. Villella, Edmund F. Gaffney