Patents by Inventor Zachary MARCH

Zachary MARCH 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: 11919503
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle that includes an electric machine as a propulsion source. In one example, a motor stall assessment level is generated based on an amount of time that the motor is stalled and an amount of torque that is generated by the motor. Mitigating actions may be performed if the motor stall assessment level exceeds a threshold level or value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Justin Campanaro, Carol Louise Okubo, Jonathan Butcher, Zachary March, Joshua Wilson
  • Patent number: 11890914
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery, an electric machine powered by the traction battery and configured to power wheels of the vehicle, and a thermal-management system. The thermal-management system includes a battery loop, a cabin heating loop, and a valve configured to fluidly connect the battery loop and the cabin heating loop when in a first position and configured to fluidly isolate the battery loop and the cabin heating loop when in a second position. A controller is programmed to, responsive to (i) battery heating being requested, (ii) a temperature of the battery being greater than a lower threshold, and (iii) cabin heating being requested, actuate the valve to the first position to heat a cabin and the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jordan Mazaira, Angel Fernando Porras, Brett Allen Dunn, Zachary March, Alan Gutowski
  • Publication number: 20240001805
    Abstract: A system is provided that includes at least one battery, motor electronics, and at least one vehicle controller. The at least one battery is positioned about a battery coolant loop that provides first coolant to change a temperature of the at least one battery. The motor electronics are positioned about a motor electronics coolant loop that provides second coolant to change a temperature of the motor electronics. The at least one vehicle controller is programmed to receive a first signal indicative of a temperature of the at least one battery positioned about the battery coolant loop and to control a valve to combine the battery coolant loop with the motor electronics coolant loop such that the second coolant flows to the battery coolant loop responsive to at least a temperature of the second coolant being greater than the temperature of the at least one battery and a first offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Jordan MAZAIRA, Brett Allen DUNN, Zachary MARCH, Justin BARSANO
  • Publication number: 20230364998
    Abstract: A power system for a vehicle includes a controller that alters an amount of power output from a traction battery according to a magnitude of current passing through a tab of a cell of the traction battery, a temperature, and a distance between a location at which the temperature is measured and the tab.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Monty ANDERSON, William Robert BROWN, Nicholas FAVA, Justin BARSANO, Zachary MARCH, Elaine CHEN
  • Patent number: 11794738
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a vehicle includes an electrified propulsion system having an electric machine powered by a traction battery over an electrical distribution system (EDS). A controller is programmed to, reduce a speed limit of the vehicle from a maximum speed limit to an EDS speed limit in response to a measured average current of the EDS being within a threshold percentage of an average current limit of the EDS, and, in response to a measured speed of the vehicle exceeding the EDS speed limit, command a torque to the electric machine that is less than a driver-demanded torque such that the vehicle is propelled at a speed below the EDS speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zachary March, Bryan Michael Bolger, Gary Lepidi, Sergey Gennadievich Semenov
  • Publication number: 20230299369
    Abstract: Responsive to data indicative of a temperature of a contactor connecting a battery and motor exceeding a threshold, a controller decreases power output from the battery to the motor. The data include parameters indicative of a temperature of the battery, a resistance of an electrical component between the battery and motor, and a thermal resistivity of one or more components other than the battery and motor in a vicinity of the contactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Monty J. ANDERSON, William Robert BROWN, Zachary MARCH, Justin BARSANO, Elaine Y. CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230286490
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle that includes an electric machine as a propulsion source. In one example, a motor stall assessment level is generated based on an amount of time that the motor is stalled and an amount of torque that is generated by the motor. Mitigating actions may be performed if the motor stall assessment level exceeds a threshold level or value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Justin Campanaro, Carol Louise Okubo, Jonathan Butcher, Zachary March, Joshua Wilson
  • Publication number: 20230182587
    Abstract: One or more controllers limit direct current output by electric vehicle supply equipment to charge a traction battery of a vehicle according to a filtered current squared capacity remaining of the traction battery, which may be defined for a window of time having a predefined duration and be based on an average current input to or output from the traction battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Gary Lepidi, Zachary March, Justin Barsano, Matthew Allen Tomai
  • Patent number: 11654795
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a temperature control system, a battery configured to power the temperature control system, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to a request to precondition the battery or the cabin air, an absence of receiving a signal indicative of a desired initial battery state of charge, and an actual battery state of charge being greater than a default threshold, deliver electrical power from the battery to the temperature control system at a desired value. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the request to precondition the battery or the cabin air, receiving the signal indicative of the desired initial battery state of charge, and the actual battery state of charge being greater than the desired initial battery state of charge but less than the default threshold, deliver electrical power from the battery to the temperature control system at the desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Everett Badger, II, Rohan Shrivastava, Jordan Mazaira, Zachary March
  • Publication number: 20230074313
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery, an electric machine powered by the traction battery and configured to power wheels of the vehicle, and a thermal-management system. The thermal-management system includes a battery loop, a cabin heating loop, and a valve configured to fluidly connect the battery loop and the cabin heating loop when in a first position and configured to fluidly isolate the battery loop and the cabin heating loop when in a second position. A controller is programmed to, responsive to (i) battery heating being requested, (ii) a temperature of the battery being greater than a lower threshold, and (iii) cabin heating being requested, actuate the valve to the first position to heat a cabin and the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Jordan Mazaira, Angel Fernando Porras, Brett Allen Dunn, Zachary March, Alan Gutowski
  • Patent number: 11554678
    Abstract: Responsive to a target charge level, a target charge completion time, and a maximum charge rate being sufficient to achieve the target charge level during an available charge duration defined by the target charge completion time, a controller charges the traction battery at a selected rate less than the maximum rate such that the traction battery continuously receives charge until occurrence of the target charge completion time and the traction battery achieves the target charge level at but not before the target charge completion time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Everett Badger, II, Bryan Michael Bolger, Angel Fernando Porras, Zachary March
  • Patent number: 11427201
    Abstract: A vehicle includes active grill shutters and a controller. The active grill shutters are configured to open to increase a drag on the vehicle and to close to decrease the drag on the vehicle. The controller is programmed to, in response to regenerative braking via an electric machine and an absence of friction braking, transition or maintain the active grill shutters to or in a closed position. The controller is further programmed to, in response to friction braking, transition or maintain the active grill shutters to or in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brandon Jay Woodland, Zachary March, Bryan Michael Bolger, Joseph James Gallo
  • Publication number: 20220185126
    Abstract: Responsive to a target charge level, a target charge completion time, and a maximum charge rate being sufficient to achieve the target charge level during an available charge duration defined by the target charge completion time, a controller charges the traction battery at a selected rate less than the maximum rate such that the traction battery continuously receives charge until occurrence of the target charge completion time and the traction battery achieves the target charge level at but not before the target charge completion time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Charles Everett Badger, II, Bryan Michael Bolger, Angel Fernando Porras, Zachary March
  • Publication number: 20220176967
    Abstract: A vehicle includes active grill shutters and a controller. The active grill shutters are configured to open to increase a drag on the vehicle and to close to decrease the drag on the vehicle. The controller is programmed to, in response to regenerative braking via an electric machine and an absence of friction braking, transition or maintain the active grill shutters to or in a closed position. The controller is further programmed to, in response to friction braking, transition or maintain the active grill shutters to or in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Brandon Jay Woodland, Zachary March, Bryan Michael Bolger, Joseph James Gallo
  • Patent number: 11342603
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery and a battery cooling system arranged to cool the battery. A controller of the vehicle is programmed to, responsive to current of the battery exceeding a current threshold and a temperature of the battery being less than a threshold temperature, activate the battery cooling system to cool the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Allen Tomai, Zachary March
  • Publication number: 20220153170
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a temperature control system, a battery configured to power the temperature control system, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to a request to precondition the battery or the cabin air, an absence of receiving a signal indicative of a desired initial battery state of charge, and an actual battery state of charge being greater than a default threshold, deliver electrical power from the battery to the temperature control system at a desired value. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the request to precondition the battery or the cabin air, receiving the signal indicative of the desired initial battery state of charge, and the actual battery state of charge being greater than the desired initial battery state of charge but less than the default threshold, deliver electrical power from the battery to the temperature control system at the desired value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Charles Everett Badger, II, Rohan Shrivastava, Jordan Mazaira, Zachary March
  • Publication number: 20220126825
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a vehicle includes an electrified propulsion system having an electric machine powered by a traction battery over an electrical distribution system (EDS). A controller is programmed to, reduce a speed limit of the vehicle from a maximum speed limit to an EDS speed limit in response to a measured average current of the EDS being within a threshold percentage of an average current limit of the EDS, and, in response to a measured speed of the vehicle exceeding the EDS speed limit, command a torque to the electric machine that is less than a driver-demanded torque such that the vehicle is propelled at a speed below the EDS speed limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Zachary March, Bryan Michael Bolger, Gary Lepidi, Sergey Gennadievich Semenov
  • Patent number: 10926661
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a processor programmed to create a virtual energy bucket for a battery, and set a short-term power limit corresponding to the virtual energy bucket that defines a discharge limit for the battery. The virtual energy bucket fills responsive to an output power of the battery being below a first power threshold and depletes responsive to the output power being above a second power threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Michael Bolger, Elaine Y. Chen, Zachary March, Matthew Allen Tomai
  • Patent number: 10727552
    Abstract: A battery pack according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a heat exchanger plate including a plate body including an interior wall and an exterior wall and an air gap enclosed inside the plate body and extending between the interior wall and the exterior wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Zachary March
  • Publication number: 20200086748
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a processor programmed to create a virtual energy bucket for a battery, and set a short-term power limit corresponding to the virtual energy bucket that defines a discharge limit for the battery. The virtual energy bucket fills responsive to an output power of the battery being below a first power threshold and depletes responsive to the output power being above a second power threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Bryan Michael Bolger, Elaine Y. Chen, Zachary March, Matthew Allen Tomai