Patents by Inventor Michael J. Cullen

Michael J. Cullen 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: 9090246
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a throttle plate to adjust airflow to the engine are provided. A transmission having an input speed and an output speed and including a clutch and a driver-selectable transmission lever is controlled to adjust engine speed to a synchronous speed in a future gear ratio in response to driver foot pedal positions and driver-selectable transmission lever positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Cullen, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20140100081
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a throttle plate to adjust airflow to the engine are provided. A transmission having an input speed and an output speed and including a clutch and a driver-selectable transmission lever is controlled to adjust engine speed to a synchronous speed in a future gear ratio in response to driver foot pedal positions and driver-selectable transmission lever positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Cullen, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Patent number: 7771313
    Abstract: A system, comprising an engine having an electronically controlled throttle plate to adjust airflow to the engine; a transmission having an input speed and an output speed, the transmission including a clutch and the transmission coupled to the engine; and a controller configured to: during a tip-out condition and during a gear ratio change to a future gear, and when the transmission does not provide engine braking, control the engine speed to a synchronous speed in the future gear ratio by adjusting an engine operating parameter so that the engine speed is close to the engine speed that will be achieved after the gear change is completed, and maintain engine speed at the close engine speed after the gear change is completed until a tip-in, where engine speed is controlled by adjusting at least the electronically controlled throttle plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Cullen, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Patent number: 7748366
    Abstract: A drive system. The drive system includes an engine configured to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy, an electronically-controlled air throttle configured to regulate air delivery to the engine, an electronically-controlled supercharger configured to selectively increase pressure of the air delivered to the engine, and a controller configured to variably engage the supercharger based on an operating parameter of the drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Rollinger, Michael J. Cullen, Karen Willard, Paul Pietrzyk
  • Patent number: 7654253
    Abstract: A method to determine degradation of a humidity sensor used for controlling an engine of a vehicle, the humidity sensor exterior to a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the method comprising determining whether to enable monitoring of the sensor based on a duration since vehicle operation; and in response to a determination to enable monitoring, comparing a signal from a second humidity sensor to a signal from the humidity sensor exterior to said passenger compartment of the vehicle to determine whether either of sensors has degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7510504
    Abstract: A method for controlling an engine coupled to a transmission is described. A method is described for adjusting an engine operating parameter to maintain transmission input speed at or below a synchronous transmission input speed. The synchronous transmission input speed is based on transmission state and transmission output speed. Alternatively, vehicle speed can be used in place of transmission output speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Cullen, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20080270012
    Abstract: A method to determine degradation of a humidity sensor used for controlling an engine of a vehicle, the humidity sensor exterior to a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the method comprising determining whether to enable monitoring of the sensor based on a duration since vehicle operation; and in response to a determination to enable monitoring, comparing a signal from a second humidity sensor to a signal from the humidity sensor exterior to said passenger compartment of the vehicle to determine whether either of sensors has degraded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7426926
    Abstract: A method for controlling fueling of an engine, the method comprising during an engine cold start and before the engine is warmed to a predetermined level, transitioning from open-loop fueling to closed-loop fueling, where during closed-loop fueling feedback from an exhaust gas oxygen sensor is utilized and where said closed-loop fueling generates a cycling of delivered fuel in maintaining exhaust air-fuel ratio at a desired level; and providing a fueling adjustment to a subsequent engine start in response to fueling information, said fueling information obtained over at least a complete cycle of closed-loop fueling following said transition from open-loop fueling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Husak, Daniel Meyer, Venkateswaran Nallaperumal, Michael J. Cullen, Paul Roth, Michael Smokovitz
  • Patent number: 7398775
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a humidity sensor with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is described. Specifically, information from the humidity sensor is used to adjust a desired air-fuel ratio to reduce engine misfire while improving vehicle fuel economy. Further, such information is also used to adjust timing and/or lift of the valve in the engine cylinder. Finally, diagnostic routines are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7377103
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a power take off device connected to an internal combustion engine is presented. According to the method, power take off speed control may be improved and the possibility of engine stalling may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Songping Yu, Thomas M. Luther, Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7363915
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling operation of an engine coupled to an exhaust treatment catalyst. Under predetermined conditions, the method operates an engine with a first group of cylinders combusting a lean air/fuel mixture and a second group of cylinders pumping air only (i.e., without fuel injection). In addition, the engine control method also provides the following features in combination with the above-described split air/lean mode: idle speed control, sensor diagnostics, air/fuel ratio control, adaptive learning, fuel vapor purging, catalyst temperature estimation, default operation, and exhaust gas and emission control device temperature control. In addition, the engine control method also changes to combusting in all cylinders under preselected operating conditions such as fuel vapor purging, manifold vacuum control, and purging of stored oxidants in an emission control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7353699
    Abstract: A drive system. The drive system includes an engine configured to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy, an electronically-controlled air throttle configured to regulate air delivery to the engine, a supercharger configured to selectively increase pressure of the air delivered to the engine, and a supercharger diagnostic system configured to diagnose supercharger over-boosting or under-boosting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Rollinger, Karen Willard, Paul Pietrzyk, Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7328686
    Abstract: Engine cylinder reactivation from a fuel-cut state is controlled based on a calculated future engine speed and a minimum allowable engine speed. The future engine speed is calculated based on the current rate of change of engine speed and a duration required to reactivate an engine cylinder. The duration can be in the time domain, or engine event domain, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7318409
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a humidity sensor with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is described. Specifically, information from the humidity sensor is used to adjust a desired air-fuel ratio to reduce engine misfire while improving vehicle fuel economy. Further, such information is also used to adjust timing and/or lift of the valve in the engine cylinder. Finally, diagnostic routines are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cullen
  • Publication number: 20070283682
    Abstract: An engine emissions diagnostic is disclosed that utilizes parameters correlating to catalyst temperature to identify when an indication of degraded performance may be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Michael J. Cullen, John Rollinger, Marsha Kapolnek, Robert Baskins, Karen Willard
  • Publication number: 20070277787
    Abstract: A method for controlling fueling of an engine, the method comprising during an engine cold start and before the engine is warmed to a predetermined level, transitioning from open-loop fueling to closed-loop fueling, where during closed-loop fueling feedback from an exhaust gas oxygen sensor is utilized and where said closed-loop fueling generates a cycling of delivered fuel in maintaining exhaust air-fuel ratio at a desired level; and providing a fueling adjustment to a subsequent engine start in response to fueling information, said fueling information obtained over at least a complete cycle of closed-loop fueling following said transition from open-loop fueling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Philip Husak, Daniel Meyer, Venkateswaran Nallaperumal, Michael J. Cullen, Paul Roth, Michael Smokovitz
  • Patent number: 7269525
    Abstract: A method of binning disk drives by evaluating quality metrics prior to a final quality audit is disclosed. A number of disk drives are assembled, and a plurality of quality metrics are generated for each disk drive representing a plurality of operating characteristics. The quality metrics for each disk drive are evaluated for binning the disk drives into a plurality of lots including a first lot and a second lot. A final quality audit (FQA) is performed by executing a number of write and read operations for a plurality of the disk drives in each lot and classifying each disk drive as passing or failing the FQA. If the number of disk drives that fail the FQA out of the first lot falls below a first threshold, the first lot is classified as acceptable for a first tier customer. If the number of disk drives that fail the FQA out of the second lot falls below a second threshold, the second lot is classified as acceptable for a second tier customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ross E. Gough, Steven Neal Rivkin, Jan G. Abrahamsson, Carl R. Messenger, Arun Makhija, Gordon K. Rydquist, Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7246604
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a humidity sensor with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is described. Specifically, information from the humidity sensor is used to adjust a desired air-fuel ratio to reduce engine misfire while improving vehicle fuel economy. Further, such information is also used to adjust timing and/or lift of the valve in the engine cylinder. Finally, diagnostic routines are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7195009
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a humidity sensor with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is described. Specifically, information from the humidity sensor is used to adjust a desired air-fuel ratio to reduce engine misfire while improving vehicle fuel economy. Further, such information is also used to adjust timing and/or lift of the valve in the engine cylinder. Finally, diagnostic routines are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cullen
  • Publication number: 20070006572
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a power take off device connected to an internal combustion engine is presented. According to the method, power take off speed control may be improved and the possibility of engine stalling may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Songping Yu, Thomas M. Luther, Michael J. Cullen