Patents by Inventor Vincent John Winstead

Vincent John Winstead 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).

  • Engine torque determination for powertrain with torque converter
    Patent number: 6701246
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine include determining a driver-demanded torque, determining a first torque based on the driver-demanded torque and a torque converter model, and determining a second torque based on an engine speed error between a current and target engine speed multiplied by a calibratable gain factor based on the speed ratio of the torque converter. The engine is then controlled to deliver the sum of the first and second engine torques to improve system response to part-throttle acceleration requests, particularly for vehicle launch and drive away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley Dean Riedle, David Karl Bidner, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Vincent John Winstead
  • Engine torque determination for powertrain with torque converter
    Publication number: 20030097215
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine include determining a driver-demanded torque, determining a first torque based on the driver-demanded torque and a torque converter model, and determining a second torque based on an engine speed error between a current and target engine speed multiplied by a calibratable gain factor based on the speed ratio of the torque converter. The engine is then controlled to deliver the sum of the first and second engine torques to improve system response to part-throttle acceleration requests, particularly for vehicle launch and drive away.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Bradley Dean Riedle, David Karl Bidner, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Vincent John Winstead
  • Method and apparatus for determining the operational energy cost of a hybrid vehicle
    Patent number: 6335610
    Abstract: A method and apparatus 46 for dynamically and periodically determining the amount of energy expended by a hybrid vehicle 10. Particularly, apparatus or controller 46 dynamically computes the amount of utilized energy based upon the initial charge resident within the battery 14, the amount of power supplied to the battery 14 and the discharge efficiency of the battery 14, thereby allowing an overall energy management strategy to be implemented and allowing an accurate operational analysis and/or simulation to be conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Vincent John Winstead
  • Method and apparatus for efficiently operating a hybrid vehicle
    Patent number: 6304055
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for operating a hybrid vehicle 10 which requires the creation of a state of charge value and which further requires the modification of the state of charge value in accordance with the monitored speed of the vehicle 10, effective to allow the hybrid vehicle 10 to be efficiently operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Vincent John Winstead