Patents by Inventor Michael D Rizzo

Michael D Rizzo 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: 10343660
    Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one brake assembly configured to brake at least one wheel of the vehicle in response to an applied voltage. A power supply is in signal communication with the at least one brake assembly. The power supply is configured to operate in a first mode that outputs a first voltage and a second mode that outputs a second voltage greater than the first voltage. A brake control system is in signal communication with the at least one brake assembly and the power supply. The brake control system is configured to determine a driving state of the vehicle, and is configured to output a brake boost request signal to initiate the second mode of the power supply in response to detecting the driving state, wherein a braking response time of the at least one brake assembly is improved in response to applying the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Rizzo, Mark J. Rychlinski, Paul S. Shaub, Anthony J. Rifici, Phanu Amatyakul
  • Publication number: 20170361824
    Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one brake assembly configured to brake at least one wheel of the vehicle in response to an applied voltage. A power supply is in signal communication with the at least one brake assembly. The power supply is configured to operate in a first mode that outputs a first voltage and a second mode that outputs a second voltage greater than the first voltage. A brake control system is in signal communication with the at least one brake assembly and the power supply. The brake control system is configured to determine a driving state of the vehicle, and is configured to output a brake boost request signal to initiate the second mode of the power supply in response to detecting the driving state, wherein a braking response time of the at least one brake assembly is improved in response to applying the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Michael D. Rizzo, Mark J. Rychlinski, Paul S. Shaub, Anthony J. Rifici, Phanu Amatyakul
  • Publication number: 20160244039
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an accelerator pedal, transmission, transfer case, mode selection device, road wheels, an electronic brake assembly, and a controller. The transfer case is connected to the transmission, and is operable for establishing a predetermined transfer case mode. The mode selection device receives a requested crawl mode of the vehicle in the predetermined transfer case mode. The electronic brake assembly has a brake motor and brake calipers, with each brake caliper disposed proximate a respective wheel to brake the respective road wheel. The controller is programmed to simulate a four-wheel drive-low mode of the transfer case in response to the requested crawl mode by decelerating the vehicle via control of the brake assembly and limiting a gear state of the transmission to 1st or 2nd gear. An auto-hold state may be engaged in crawl mode when the vehicle stops to prevent rolling of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Rizzo, James S. Creehan, Paul S. Shaub, W. Marc Modisett, Mark C. Kohls
  • Patent number: 6325469
    Abstract: A brake system control for use in a vehicle with four wheels comprising the steps of: determining a desired yaw rate (454); determining a yaw torque command responsive to the desired yaw rate (806); if the vehicle is in an anti-lock braking mode during driver commanded braking, applying the yaw torque command to only one of the four wheels to release brake pressure in said one of the four wheels (258-266, 274, 278, 280, 410-418); if the vehicle is in a positive acceleration traction control mode during driver commanded acceleration, applying the yaw torque command to only one of the four wheels to apply brake pressure in said one of the four wheels (258-266, 288-292, 410-418); and if the vehicle is not in the anti-lock braking mode or in the positive acceleration traction control mode, then: (i) determining whether a vehicle brake pedal is depressed (370); (ii) if the vehicle brake pedal is depressed, applying brake force to the vehicle wheels responsive to the depression of the brake pedal (374, 412, 418), w
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignees: General Motors Corporation, Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglass L Carson, Ronald Paul, Michael D Rizzo, Stephen R Pastor, Duane E Bassett, Hsien H Chen, Yuen-Kwok Chin, Youssef A Ghoneim, Hong X Hu, Alan J Lee, William C Lin, Michael P Turski
  • Patent number: 6212460
    Abstract: In a vehicle with an active brake control system a control method comprising to the steps of: determining individual wheel speeds of the vehicle wheels responsive to sensor output signals (1016, 1018); determining a vehicle reference velocity responsive to the individual wheel speeds (1002-1012); measuring vehicle yaw rate (1128); determining a delta velocity for each wheel responsive to the individual wheel speed for the wheel and the vehicle reference velocity (326); and when the active brake control system is in the active state for at least one of the wheels, (a) setting a base delta velocity for the one wheel equal to the delta velocity for the one wheel immediately prior to the active brake control obtaining the active state for the one wheel (200); (b) determining a control term responsive to the measured vehicle yaw rate (806), wherein the control term represents a desired delta velocity for the one wheel; (c) setting a first target change in delta velocity responsive to the base delta velocity and th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignees: General Motors Corporation, Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D Rizzo, Douglass L Carson, Stephen R Pastor, Ronald Paul, Duane E Bassett, Gordon L Tierney
  • Patent number: 5521442
    Abstract: In a vehicle with a radio, a transmission, a brake, a throttle, a vehicle speed and a power antenna, a method of controlling the power antenna comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether the radio is in an on state; (b) determining if the transmission is one of: (i) in a neutral state and (ii) in an unengaged state; (c) determining if the brake is in an off state; (d) determining if the throttle is in an idle state; (e) determining if the vehicle speed is below a predetermined threshold; and (f) responsive to the determinations, if the radio is in the on state, the transmission is in one of: (i) the neutral state and (ii) the unengaged state, the brake is in the off state, the throttle is in the idle state and the speed is below the predetermined threshold, automatically retracting the power antenna, thereby preventing possible damage to the antenna by the automatic car wash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Herbert R. Butterfield, Michael D. Rizzo, Clark E. McCall, Joseph A. Heller, James V. Clore, Joseph R. Pastorek, Jonathan M. Rathbun, David C. Poirier