Patents by Inventor Rajesh N. Nair
Rajesh N. Nair 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: 11365697Abstract: A controller may determine that a regeneration process associated with an engine of a machine is active. The controller may obtain, based on determining that the regeneration process is active, information concerning a speed of the engine, information concerning a load of the engine, and information concerning a fuel rate of the engine. The controller may select, based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the load of the engine, and the information concerning the fuel rate of the engine, a control process, of a plurality of control processes, to control an intake manifold absolute pressure (IMAP) of the engine to facilitate the regeneration process. The controller may cause, according to the selected control process, adjustment of one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) of the engine and an intake throttle valve (ITV) of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2020Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Rajesh N. Nair, Samuel Were, James Harris Mutti
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Publication number: 20220120232Abstract: A controller may determine that a regeneration process associated with an engine of a machine is active. The controller may obtain, based on determining that the regeneration process is active, information concerning a speed of the engine, information concerning a load of the engine, and information concerning a fuel rate of the engine. The controller may select, based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the load of the engine, and the information concerning the fuel rate of the engine, a control process, of a plurality of control processes, to control an intake manifold absolute pressure (IMAP) of the engine to facilitate the regeneration process. The controller may cause, according to the selected control process, adjustment of one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) of the engine and an intake throttle valve (ITV) of the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2020Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Rajesh N. NAIR, Samuel WERE, James Harris MUTTI
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Patent number: 9062576Abstract: Operating an exhaust particulate filter system for an internal combustion engine includes transmitting electromagnetic energy, for example having a frequency above about 2 GHz, through an exhaust particulate filter containing trapped soot. The transmitted electromagnetic energy may be attenuated in response to the trapped soot, and a filter soot loading value calculated based at least in part upon a correlation among an attenuation of the electromagnetic energy, a temperature of the filter, and a mass of the trapped soot. An algorithm based upon a partial derivative of an equation representing the correlation may be used in calculating the filter soot loading value, and a resulting soot mass. The calculated soot mass is used to determine a relative soot loading state of the filter in conjunction with information as to ash loading. Responsive to determining the relative soot loading state satisfies regeneration suitability conditions, a regeneration initiation command may be outputted.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2011Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Snopko, Rajesh N. Nair, Frederic Fugere, Andrew A. Knitt, Anthony C. Rodman
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Patent number: 8875496Abstract: A regeneration control system for an exhaust filter in an internal combustion engine system includes a first sensing mechanism for monitoring an exhaust flow resistance of the exhaust filter, and a second sensing mechanism for monitoring an attenuation of electromagnetic energy transmitted through the exhaust filter. The regeneration control system further includes an electronic controller coupled with the sensing mechanisms and configured to output a filter regeneration command responsive to an amount of particulate matter trapped within the exhaust filter. The electronic controller is further configured to weight data from the first and second sensing mechanisms in determining the amount of particulate matter. Weighting of the data may be responsive to an operating state of the internal combustion engine system. Related methodology is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2011Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Rajesh N. Nair, Michael A. Snopko
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Publication number: 20140298775Abstract: A regeneration control system for an exhaust filter in an internal combustion engine system includes a first sensing mechanism for monitoring an exhaust flow resistance of the exhaust filter, and a second sensing mechanism for monitoring an attenuation of electromagnetic energy transmitted through the exhaust filter. The regeneration control system further includes an electronic controller coupled with the sensing mechanisms and configured to output a filter regeneration command responsive to an amount of particulate matter trapped within the exhaust filter. The electronic controller is further configured to weight data from the first and second sensing mechanisms in determining the amount of particulate matter. Weighting of the data may be responsive to an operating state of the internal combustion engine system. Related methodology is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Inventors: Michael A. Snopko, Rajesh N. Nair
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Patent number: 8833063Abstract: A method of detecting ash in an exhaust particulate filter system for an internal combustion engine includes transmitting electromagnetic energy through an exhaust particulate filter containing soot and ash, and sensing a strength of the transmitted electromagnetic energy after having been attenuated in response to the soot. The method further includes electronically storing a filter monitoring history responsive to a difference between the transmitted strength and the sensed strength of the electromagnetic energy, and detecting an amount of the ash based at least in part upon a pattern of electromagnetic energy attenuation defined by the stored filter monitoring history. An exhaust particulate filter system for implementing related methodology includes a microprocessor configured to determine a value indicative of an amount of ash contained within an exhaust particulate filter responsive to a pattern of electromagnetic energy attenuation defined by a stored filter monitoring history.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2011Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Snopko, Rajesh N. Nair, Anthony C. Rodman
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Patent number: 8470070Abstract: Detecting ash in a diesel particulate filter includes receiving data indicative of signal attenuation for ash-responsive and ash-insensitive RF signals transmitted through a diesel particulate filter containing trapped soot and ash. A difference between the RF signals, such as a difference in signal attenuation, may be leveraged to detect a relative ash loading state or a change in relative ash loading state of the diesel particulate filter, and responsively indicate that filter cleaning is needed.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Vadiraj P. Kulkarni, Matthew E. Leustek, Sara K. Michels, Rajesh N. Nair, Michael A. Snopko, Andrew A. Knitt
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Publication number: 20130000274Abstract: A regeneration control system for an exhaust filter in an internal combustion engine system includes a first sensing mechanism for monitoring an exhaust flow resistance of the exhaust filter, and a second sensing mechanism for monitoring an attenuation of electromagnetic energy transmitted through the exhaust filter. The regeneration control system further includes an electronic controller coupled with the sensing mechanisms and configured to output a filter regeneration command responsive to an amount of particulate matter trapped within the exhaust filter. The electronic controller is further configured to weight data from the first and second sensing mechanisms in determining the amount of particulate matter. Weighting of the data may be responsive to an operating state of the internal combustion engine system. Related methodology is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Rajesh N. Nair, Michael A. Snopko
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Publication number: 20120291419Abstract: A method of detecting ash in an exhaust particulate filter system for an internal combustion engine includes transmitting electromagnetic energy through an exhaust particulate filter containing soot and ash, and sensing a strength of the transmitted electromagnetic energy after having been attenuated in response to the soot. The method further includes electronically storing a filter monitoring history responsive to a difference between the transmitted strength and the sensed strength of the electromagnetic energy, and detecting an amount of the ash based at least in part upon a pattern of electromagnetic energy attenuation defined by the stored filter monitoring history. An exhaust particulate filter system for implementing related methodology includes a microprocessor configured to determine a value indicative of an amount of ash contained within an exhaust particulate filter responsive to a pattern of electromagnetic energy attenuation defined by a stored filter monitoring history.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2011Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Michael A. Snopko, Rajesh N. Nair, Anthony C. Rodman
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Publication number: 20120159929Abstract: A method of operating an exhaust particulate filter system for an internal combustion engine includes transmitting electromagnetic energy, for example having a frequency above about 2 GHz through an exhaust particulate filter containing trapped soot. The transmitted electromagnetic energy may be attenuated in response to the trapped soot, and a filter soot loading value calculated based at least in part upon a correlation among an attenuation of the electromagnetic energy, a temperature of the filter, and a mass of the trapped soot. An algorithm based upon a partial derivative of an equation representing the correlation may be used in calculating the filter soot loading value, and a resulting soot mass. Responsive to determining the calculated soot mass satisfies regeneration suitability conditions, a regeneration initiation command may be outputted.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Michael A. Snopko, Anthony C. Rodman, Rajesh N. Nair
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Publication number: 20120159930Abstract: A method of operating an exhaust particulate filter system for an internal combustion engine includes transmitting electromagnetic energy, for example having a frequency above about 2 GHz, through an exhaust particulate filter containing trapped soot. The transmitted electromagnetic energy may be attenuated in response to the trapped soot, and a filter soot loading value calculated based at least in part upon a correlation among an attenuation of the electromagnetic energy, a temperature of the filter, and a mass of the trapped soot. An algorithm based upon a partial derivative of an equation representing the correlation may be used in calculating the filter soot loading value, and a resulting soot mass. The calculated soot mass is used to determine a relative soot loading state of the filter in conjunction with information as to ash loading. Responsive to determining the relative soot loading state satisfies regeneration suitability conditions, a regeneration initiation command may be outputted.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Michael A. Snopko, Rajesh N. Nair, Frederic Fugere, Andrew A. Knitt, Anthony C. Rodman
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Publication number: 20120158242Abstract: A machine includes an internal combustion engine, and an exhaust particulate filter system coupled therewith having an exhaust particulate filter for trapping particulates in exhaust from the internal combustion engine. A control system for the exhaust particulate filter includes a sensing mechanism such as an RF soot sensor and a data processor coupled with the sensing mechanism and configured to output a moisture compensation signal responsive to a pattern of inputs from the sensing mechanism indicative of moisture within the exhaust particulate filter, for controlling regeneration thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2010Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Michael A. Snopko, Anthony C. Rodman, Rajesh N. Nair, Frederic Fugere, Andrew A. Knitt, Malshantha M. Kankanamge
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Publication number: 20120017570Abstract: Detecting ash in a diesel particulate filter includes receiving data indicative of signal attenuation for ash-responsive and ash-insensitive RF signals transmitted through a diesel particulate filter containing trapped soot and ash. A difference between the RF signals, such as a difference in signal attenuation, may be leveraged to detect a relative ash loading state or a change in relative ash loading state of the diesel particulate filter, and responsively indicate that filter cleaning is needed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2010Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Vadiraj P. Kulkarni, Matthew E. Leustek, Sara K. Michels, Rajesh N. Nair, Michael A. Snopko, Andrew A. Knitt