Having Microprocessor Patents (Class 123/480)
  • Patent number: 11927141
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for metering fuel in a fuel supply circuit of an aircraft engine, the circuit comprising a metering device for a fuel circuit of an aircraft engine comprising, downstream of a fuel pumping system and upstream of injectors: —a fuel inlet (E), —a metering device (FMV) and a cut-off device (HPSOV) arranged in series, —an adjustment valve (VR) arranged on a fuel recirculation branch, such that any excess fuel supplied by the pumping system is fed back into the fuel circuit, wherein at least one flow-metric sensor (WFM1) is arranged on the recirculation branch, a density value for the metered fuel is determined according to the sensor measurements and the metering device is controlled according to the fuel density value thus determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Arnaud Bernard Clément Thomas Joudareff, Loïc Pora
  • Patent number: 11920537
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine system includes controlling a fuel injector to perform a zero-fueling injector operation during operation of the engine, the zero-fueling injector operation including a non-zero injector on-time resulting in zero fueling by the injector, determining an injection system pressure change associated with the zero-fueling injector operation, modifying at least one fuel injection control parameter in response to the injection system pressure change, and using the modified fuel injection control parameter to control injection of fuel by the fuel injector during operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Donald J. Benson
  • Patent number: 11905902
    Abstract: A method for managing start up of a four-stroke engine, the method being performed by a controller communicatively connected to the engine. The method includes determining, using a crankshaft sensor, an angular orientation of the crankshaft, the crankshaft being rotated by a starter motor prior to ignition of the engine; determining, using the crankshaft sensor, at least one engine speed variation as the crankshaft rotates through at least one measurement window; and identifying a working cycle phase of the crankshaft including in response to an absolute value of the at least one engine speed variation being above a threshold, determining that the crankshaft is in an ignition revolution of a two revolution working cycle of the engine in the measurement window, subsequent ignition of the engine being based on determination of the angular orientation and the working cycle phase of the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Hofmair, Richard Winkoff
  • Patent number: 11835010
    Abstract: Disclosed is a four-stroke direct injection engine comprising a camshaft, and exhaust valve, and a control system. The control system is configured to change the timing of the camshaft to advance a closing of the exhaust valve, control a first fuel injection step during a compression stroke of the piston, control a second fuel injection step during a power stroke of the piston, and control a third fuel injection step, after the second fuel injection step, during the power stroke of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Scania CV AB
    Inventors: Andreas Dahl, Michael Vallinder
  • Patent number: 11828245
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for discharging the pressure in a fuel supply rail of an injection system of an engine, the fuel injection rail connected to a fuel tank by piezo-electric injectors, each including a needle and a piezo-electric actuator pressing on a servo valve of the injector. The injection system includes a fuel pressure sensor and an electrical generator transmitting electric current pulses to each actuator. When the accelerator is released, a first electrical command allows determination of a moment of opening of the respective servo valve without triggering an injection. A second electrical command triggers a discharge of fuel from the fuel supply rail to the tank and therefore to discharge the pressure of the supply rail without triggering an injection. The second electrical command charges the piezo-electric actuator between a first voltage level that opens the servo valve, and a second voltage level triggering an injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Morgan Drouyer, Quentin Dussardier
  • Patent number: 11795895
    Abstract: An air intake structure for introducing an intake air into an engine includes: a first air intake passage fluidly connected with an air outlet; a second air intake passage branched off from the first air intake passage and having a passage length greater than that of the first air intake passage; and an open-close valve provided in the first air intake passage. The second air intake passage has a portion thereof bent to allow the flow of intake air in one direction reverse to that of the air flowing a different portion thereof. The first air intake passage, the second air intake passage and the open-close valve are provided within an air cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventors: Olivier Bompoil, Pierre Corno, Nobuyoshi Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11788478
    Abstract: A mass-flow throttle for highly accurate control of the gaseous supplies (fuel and/or air) to the combustion chambers for a large engine in response to instantaneous demand signals from the engine's ECM, especially for large (i.e., 30 liters or greater in size) spark-ignited internal combustion engines fueled by natural gas. With a unitary block assembly and a throttle blade driven by a non-articulated rotary actuator shaft, in combination with tight control circuitry including multiple pressure sensors as well as sensors for temperature and throttle position, the same basic throttle concepts are innovatively suited to be used for both MFG and MFA throttles in industrial applications, to achieve highly accurate mass-flow control even despite pressure fluctuations while operating in non-choked flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: ECONTROLS, LLC
    Inventors: Justin H. Sanders, Michael T. Hambidge, Timothy J. Westerdale, Kennon Guglielmo
  • Patent number: 11761415
    Abstract: An ignition coil unit includes: an ignition circuit including a primary coil and a secondary coil; a power generator including a generator coil; a controller configured to control an ignition timing of the ignition circuit by an input signal generated by an induced voltage of the generator coil; and a sensor configured to input load information to the controller. The controller includes a memory configured to store working time information which corresponds to operating information based on the input information and the load information, as matrix data composed of the operating information, the load information and time data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: OPPAMA INDUSTRY CO., LTD., YAMABIKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuo Yoshizaki, Atsushi Hoshino, Yuichi Tsuyuki, Kousuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11719181
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine controller for controlling an internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine controller comprises a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store a plurality of control maps, each control map defining a hypersurface of actuator setpoints for controlling an actuator of the internal combustion engine based on a plurality of input variables to the internal combustion engine controller. The processor comprises an engine setpoint module and a map updating module. The map updating module is configured to optimise one or more of the hypersurfaces of the control maps at the location defined by the plurality of input variables. The map updating module comprises an optimiser module configured to search for an optimised group of actuator setpoints wherein the map updating module updates the one or more hypersurfaces at the location defined by the plurality of input variables based on the optimised group of actuator setpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Gavin Williams, Peter Ladlow
  • Patent number: 11680498
    Abstract: An electromechanical camshaft phaser (3) comprises a setting gear (4) and an electric motor (5), which is controlled by means of an electric-motor control unit (6). Data concerning the operation of the electric motor (5) including position changes of its motor shaft are transferred via a data bus (8) from the electric-motor control unit (6) to an engine control unit (7) of the internal combustion engine (1) comprising the camshaft phaser (3). In addition, recurring time signals are transferred from the electric-motor control unit (6) to the engine control unit (7) via a separate line (9), by which harder real-time requirements are met than by the data bus (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Tobias Riedl, Christian Karbacher
  • Patent number: 11655788
    Abstract: In at least some implementations, a charge forming device includes a body that has a throttle bore, a throttle valve associated with the throttle bore, a coupler and an actuator. The throttle has a valve head received within and movable relative to the throttle bore, and a valve shaft to which the valve head is coupled. The coupler is connected to the valve shaft and carries or includes a sensor element. And the actuator has a drive shaft coupled to the coupler so that rotation of the drive shaft is transmitted to the coupler and the valve shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Walbro LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Duried F. Rabban, Bradley J. Roche, David L. Speirs
  • Patent number: 11629658
    Abstract: A method for activating a boost pressure control for an internal combustion engine, which contains, in a through-flow direction, a compressor, a charge air line, a throttle valve, an intake manifold, at least one combustion chamber and a turbine speed-coupled to the compressor, an aperture of the throttle valve being controllable, a driving of the turbine being controllable by an exhaust gas flow, and the method including: predefining a setpoint intake manifold pressure; calculating a simplified inverse flow characteristic of the throttle valve; calculating a pseudo setpoint aperture of the throttle valve, based on the simplified inverse flow characteristic and the setpoint intake manifold pressure; and controlling the driving of the turbine, based on an exceeding of a maximum aperture of the throttle valve by the pseudo setpoint aperture of the throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sven Mueller, Tobias Noesselt, Mauro Calabria
  • Patent number: 11578670
    Abstract: A mass-flow throttle for highly accurate control of the gaseous supplies (fuel and/or air) to the combustion chambers for a large engine in response to instantaneous demand signals from the engine's ECM, especially for large (i.e., 30 liters or greater in size) spark-ignited internal combustion engines fueled by natural gas. With a unitary block assembly and a throttle blade driven by a non-articulated rotary actuator shaft, in combination with tight control circuitry including multiple pressure sensors as well as sensors for temperature and throttle position, the same basic throttle concepts are innovatively suited to be used for both MFG and MFA throttles in industrial applications, to achieve highly accurate mass-flow control even despite pressure fluctuations while operating in non-choked flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: EControls, LLC
    Inventors: Justin H Sanders, Kennon Guglielmo, Michael T. Hambidge, Timothy J. Westerdale
  • Patent number: 11562855
    Abstract: In at least some implementations, a lamination stack includes a plurality of plates coupled together, each plate including at least one leg that collectively define a leg of the stack, with the leg of the stack arranged so that a wire coil may be arranged on the leg of the stack, and wherein the leg of the stack includes a location feature arranged to facilitate location of the stack relative to an adjacent component. In at least some implementations, the location feature may be integrally formed with at least one of the plates, and may be defined by a projection extending from a free end of at least one leg of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Walbro LLC
    Inventors: Martin N. Andersson, Cyrus M. Healy, Gerald J. LaMarr, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11473519
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine control apparatus, an electronic control device is configured to subject a signal from a knock sensor to short-time Fourier transform, to thereby generate an observation matrix. Further, the electronic control device is configured to decompose the observation matrix into knocking vibration data being data on vibration caused by knocking and mechanical vibration data being data on vibration other than the knocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Kitao
  • Patent number: 11459962
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electronically controllable valve of an engine includes receiving, from one or more operation sensors, operation data including sensor data corresponding to a condition of the engine, control inputs indicative of operation of equipment that includes the engine, or a combination thereof. The method includes determining, using a trained valve control model, an operating characteristic of the valve at least partially based on the operation data, and generating a control signal to effect operation of the valve in accordance with the operating characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SPARKCOGNITTON, INC.
    Inventor: Sridhar Sudarsan
  • Patent number: 11454144
    Abstract: Lubricant dilution detection systems and methods are disclosed. A method for detecting lubricant dilution for a lubrication system includes detecting a shutdown event of the lubrication system. The method includes measuring lubricant pressure during the shutdown event. The method further includes determining lubricant dilution based on the measured lubricant pressure during the shutdown event. In accordance with a determination that there is lubricant dilution, the method includes outputting an indication of the lubricant dilution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Kennedy, Michael J. Campagna, Andrew W. Billing
  • Patent number: 11436479
    Abstract: A system and method are shown for transferring weight information to analog non-volatile memory elements wherein the programming pulse duration is directly proportional to the difference in weights. Furthermore, the system and method avoid weight transfers when the weights are already well-matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pritish Narayanan, Geoffrey W Burr
  • Patent number: 11433879
    Abstract: A vehicle control system comprises: an engine (4); an accelerator position sensor (10) configured to detect the position of an accelerator pedal; a steering device; a PCM (14) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle to control the attitude of the vehicle, when a steering angle-related value as a parameter related to a steering angle of the steering device increases; and a brake unit (16) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle, independently of reduction of an output torque of the engine, wherein the PCM is configured to generates the deceleration by means of the reduction of the output torque of the engine when a depression of the accelerator pedal is detected by the accelerator position sensor, and to generate the deceleration by the brake unit (16) when the depression of the accelerator pedal is not detected by the accelerator position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Yuichiro Akiya, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu
  • Patent number: 11397191
    Abstract: An assembly has a rotating element, a sensor, and an evaluation unit; wherein the element has a number a of markings; wherein the markings pass through a region detected by the sensor in cycles when the element rotates; wherein the sensor is configured to send a signal to the evaluation unit; and wherein the evaluation unit is configured to assign a time ti for when each signal is sent, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to calculate a function m(t) over time t as a measure for a gradient of the rotational rate of the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wendzel, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Patent number: 11339736
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve driving device includes: a maximum detection unit configured to detect a maximum point when time-series data of a differential value of a counter electromotive voltage generated in a solenoid has changed from an increase to a decrease by retrospectively tracing the time-series data in an opposite direction of a time series; and a valve closing time detection unit configured to execute a determination process of retrospectively tracing the time-series data from the maximum point detected by the maximum detection unit in the opposite direction and scanning whether or not an amount of decrease in the differential value from the maximum point exceeds a predetermined threshold value and detect a maximum time, which is a time of the maximum point, as a valve closing time of a fuel injection valve when there is an event in which the amount of decrease exceeds the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaya Kimura, Kyohei Matsumoto, Ryo Sasaki, Takuya Ikemoto, Daichi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 11322324
    Abstract: An input device includes a first part and a second part configured to move relative to each other according to an input operation, a magnetic viscous fluid whose viscosity changes according to a magnetic field, and a magnetic-field generator that generates the magnetic field applied to the magnetic viscous fluid. The second part includes a first surface and a second surface that are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a direction of relative movement between the first part and the second part. Gaps are formed between the first surface and the first part and between the second surface and the first part, and the magnetic viscous fluid is present in at least a part of the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: KURIMOTO, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wakuda, Kazunari Takahashi, Atsushi Goto, Ryuichiro Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 11319871
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, Lube Oil Controlled Ignition (LOCI) Engine Combustion overcomes the drawbacks of known combustion technologies. First, lubricating oil is already part of any combustion engine; hence, there is no need to carry a secondary fuel and to have to depend on an additional fuel system as in the case of dual-fuel technologies. Second, the ignition and the start of combustion rely on the controlled autoignition of the lubricating oil preventing the occurrence of abnormal combustion as experienced with the Spark Ignition technology. Third, LOCI combustion is characterized by the traveling of a premixed flame; hence, it has a controllable duration resulting in a wide engine load-speed window unlike the Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition technology where the engine load-speed window is narrow. Adaptive Intake Valve Closure may be used to control in-cylinder compression temperature to be high enough to realize the consistent auto ignition of the lubricating oil mist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Prometheus Applied Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maria-Emmanuella Sotiropoulou, Luigi P. Tozzi
  • Patent number: 11313296
    Abstract: When an engine is started, an ECU determines whether an inside of a cylinder is in a wet concerned state in which there is a concern about fuel wet, or the inside of the cylinder is in a liquid particle float state in which a large volume of floating liquid particle of fuel arise. On determination that it is in the wet concerned state, the ECU performs a first control for reducing an intake air amount as a control of an opening timing and a closing timing by using the variable valve device. On determination that it is in the floating liquid particle state, the ECU performs a second control for increasing an in-cylinder temperature as a control of the opening timing and the closing timing by using the variable valve device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Hiraoka, Yukitoshi Shida
  • Patent number: 11261816
    Abstract: A fuel type estimation system configured to estimate a type variable related to a type of fuel in an engine system including an engine and a fuel supply apparatus includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store a mapping that uses, as inputs, input variables including an engine variable related to a condition of the engine and outputs the type variable. The execution device is configured to acquire the input variables, and estimate the type variable by applying the acquired input variables to the mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Iwai
  • Patent number: 11236697
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high-efficiency and highly-reliable fuel injection control device that controls a fuel injection valve of an internal combustion engine and can perform injection amount control in accordance with a deterioration degree of the fuel injection valve. A fuel injection control device controlling a fuel injection valve of an internal combustion engine includes a deterioration determination unit that determines a deterioration state of the fuel injection valve, an injection amount learning unit that learns the injection amount of the fuel injection valve, and a learning frequency change unit that changes the learning frequency of the injection amount learning unit in accordance with the deterioration state of the fuel injection valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Itaba, Osamu Mukaihara, Akira Iizuka
  • Patent number: 11193433
    Abstract: An engine controller, an engine control method, and memory medium are provided. A second calculation process calculates an intake air amount without using a detection result of an air flow meter. The determination process determines that intake air pulsation is great if it is confirmed that a difference between an average flow rate and a minimum flow rate is great. The average flow rate is an average value of an intake air flow rate within a period of the intake air pulsation. The minimum flow rate is a minimum value of the intake air flow rate within the period. When it is determined that the intake air pulsation is great, a calculation method switching process selects a calculated value of the intake air amount that is obtained by the second calculation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamada, Takahiro Anami, Shunsuke Kurita
  • Patent number: 11098670
    Abstract: Provided is a control device of a fuel injection device which can stabilize a behavior of a valve even when a voltage of a voltage source varies, and can reduce a deviation of an injection amount. A control device 150 of a fuel injection device 101 includes a valve 214, a coil 205 which generates a magnetic attraction force to attract a movable member 202 which drives the valve 214, and a voltage source. The fuel injection device 101 applies a voltage to the coil 205 on the basis of an injection pulse, causes a drive current to flow to the coil 205 until the current becomes a maximum current to attract the movable member 202, and drives the valve 214 to inject fuel. The drive current flowing to the coil 205 or a voltage of the voltage source is detected before the injection pulse is stopped. In a case where the detected drive current or the voltage is equal to or less than a setting, a width of the injection pulse or an injection pulse different from the injection pulse is corrected to be long.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Kusakabe, Masayuki Saruwatari, Noriyuki Maekawa
  • Patent number: 11046309
    Abstract: One embodiment is a method of operating an electronic control system (ECS) to control an engine to propel a vehicle. The method comprises receiving a throttle command, determining an operation to increase engine cycle efficiency by reducing engine torque below a magnitude corresponding to the throttle command and below a torque curve limit over a first vehicle operation segment and permitting an increase in engine torque above the torque curve limit over a second vehicle operation segment, controlling the engine to output torque below the magnitude corresponding to the throttle command and below the torque curve limit over the first vehicle operation segment, and controlling the engine to output torque above the torque curve limit over the second vehicle operation segment in response to a second received throttle command and constrained by an extended limit on operation of the engine above the torque curve limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Apurva Arvind Chunodkar, Kenneth M. Follen, Mugdha S. Sane, Srinivas Chakravarthy Bathula, Arun Prakash Thunga Gopal, Vivek A. Sujan
  • Patent number: 11002197
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes an intake air amount controller and a variable valve controller. The intake air amount controller includes an exhaust manifold pressure calculator, an engine intake air amount calculator, a volumetric efficiency correction coefficient calculator, a cylinder intake air amount calculator, an exhaust gas flow rate calculator, and a cylinder intake air amount controller. The volumetric efficiency correction coefficient calculator calculates a volumetric efficiency correction coefficient based on a pressure ratio between an intake manifold pressure and an exhaust manifold pressure, a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, and an actuation state of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takuo Watanuki
  • Patent number: 10947908
    Abstract: A controller according to the present disclosure, in each combustion cycle that composes a change cycle, calculates the average ?n of control amounts from the first combustion cycle to the nth (1<=n<=N) combustion cycle and calculates the error ?n-?o of the average ?n with respect to the average ?o of a reference normal population. Also, the controller sets both a positive threshold Z?/2*?o/n1/2 and a negative threshold ?Z?/2*?o/n1/2 based on the standard error ?o/n1/2 of the reference normal population in the case where the number of data is n. Then, the controller chooses an operation amount to be changed from a plurality of operation amounts, based on a comparison between a series of the errors ?n-?o and a series of the positive thresholds Z?/2*?o/n1/2 and a comparison between the series of the errors ?n-?o and a series of the negative thresholds ?Z?/2*?o/n1/2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Urano, Kota Sata
  • Patent number: 10876434
    Abstract: A method for generating a camshaft signature for camshaft positioning calibration for a camshaft included in a combustion engine. The camshaft is adapted to cause a valve to open and close an opening to a cylinder volume of the combustion engine. The combustion engine further includes an intake surge tank adapted for receiving air from the outside environment. The intake surge tank is in fluid connection with the cylinder volume of the combustion engine for providing air for mixing with fuel injected into the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Dahlgren, Stefan Dunert
  • Patent number: 10825267
    Abstract: First ECUs and second ECU of a control system of an internal combustion engine is configured to: output a predicted value of an output parameter by using a learning model if actually measured values of input parameters are input; and control an internal combustion engine based on this predicted value, the first ECUs is configured to: learn a learning model; and transmit first vehicle information including a usage environment and usage state of the first vehicle and the learned learning model linked with each other, and the second ECU is configured to receive the learned learning models, and wherein the second ECU is configured to use a learned learning model linked with the first vehicle information closest to the usage environment and usage state of the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiki Kitagawa, Daiki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10788346
    Abstract: A thermal type flowmeter includes a sensor and a flow-rate calculating unit. The sensor includes a heater that heats a fluid to be measured. The sensor is configured to output a sensor value corresponding to a state of thermal diffusion in the fluid heated by the heater which is being driven in such a manner that a difference between a temperature of the heater and a temperature of the fluid at a location free from thermal influence of the heater is equal to a predetermined temperature difference. The flow-rate calculating unit is configured to calculate a flow rate of the fluid from the sensor value by using a flow-rate calculation equation, “sensor value=transformation coefficient A×log (flow rate)2+transformation coefficient B×log (flow rate)+transformation coefficient C”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: AZBIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Yamazaki, Hidenori Hibi
  • Patent number: 10784800
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve reliability after the control of a microcomputer recovers. A signal control apparatus according to the present invention includes a microcomputer, an output control unit that receives a reset signal and a load control signal from the microcomputer and outputs a load output signal to a load, and when the output control unit receives the reset signal, the output control unit maintains a state of the load output signal immediately before the reset signal is received, and when the load control signal is switched, the output control unit releases the maintaining state of the load output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 10765429
    Abstract: Various systems and methods of controlling a surgical instrument to provide alerts according to the operational state of the instrument and the velocity of a displacement member are disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member movable between a first position and a second position and a sensor configured to detect a position of the displacement member and provide a signal indicative thereof. The surgical instrument is configured to determine a velocity of the displacement member and, upon the velocity being equal to zero, provide an alert according to the operational state of the instrument and the relative position of the displacement member in its stroke. The alert can include an image that is displayed on the display of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Richard L. Leimbach, Raymond E. Parfett, Gregory J. Bakos
  • Patent number: 10746143
    Abstract: Examples are provided for switching an engine fuel supply. One example system includes a direct-injection engine including a cylinder, an LPG tank for storing a LPG fuel, a CNG tank for storing a CNG fuel, a gas switching valve, a high-pressure pump connected between the LPG tank and the gas switching valve, a pressure-limiting valve connected between the CNG tank and the gas switching valve, a fuel distributor configured to be supplied with one or more of the LPG fuel and the CNG fuel via the gas switching valve, an LPG injection valve coupled to the cylinder, a CNG injection valve coupled to the cylinder, the LPG injection valve and the CNG injection valve configured to be supplied with fuel via the fuel distributor; and a controller configured to control the gas switching valve depending on an aggregate state of the fuel disposed in the fuel distributor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Georg Louven, Klemens Grieser, Oliver Berkemeier, Martin Wirth, Ulrich Kramer, Helmut Hans Ruhland
  • Patent number: 10658139
    Abstract: An input device includes a first part and a second part configured to move relative to each other according to an input operation, a magnetic viscous fluid whose viscosity changes according to a magnetic field, and a magnetic-field generator that generates the magnetic field applied to the magnetic viscous fluid. The second part includes a first surface and a second surface that are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a direction of relative movement between the first part and the second part. Gaps are formed between the first surface and the first part and between the second surface and the first part, and the magnetic viscous fluid is present in at least a part of the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wakuda, Kazunari Takahashi, Atsushi Goto, Ryuichiro Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 10634079
    Abstract: A method for improving engine start performance of a vehicle performing engine synchronization at the time of the engine start may include performing a first synchronization task from an engine stop position stored when the engine stops in immediately previous traveling, and performing the first synchronization task when a crank signal of a crank sensor is first input to an engine position management (EPM) module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jung-Suk Han, Kyong-Duck Park, Min-Kyu Han, Hyeok-Jun Kwon
  • Patent number: 10590875
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a split exhaust engine system that provides blowthrough air and exhaust gas recirculation to an intake passage via a first exhaust manifold and exhaust gas to an exhaust passage via a second exhaust manifold. In one example, a first set of exhaust valves coupled to the first exhaust manifold may be operated at a different timing than a second set of exhaust valves coupled to the second exhaust manifold. Further, a position of a first valve positioned in a first passage coupled between the intake passage and the first exhaust manifold and/or a timing of the first set of exhaust valves may be diagnosed based on an output of a pressure sensor positioned in the first exhaust manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Brad Alan Boyer, Daniel Paul Madison, Julian Barnaby Corona
  • Patent number: 10544745
    Abstract: A utility engine air-to-fuel ratio control method in which during an initial or early part of a period of engine continuous operation its stability of operation is determined and if sufficiently stable a test of the air-to-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine is performed and if need be changed to a new air-to-fuel ratio supplied to the engine during the remainder of the period of engine continuous operation. If the engine operation is not sufficiently stable the test is not started or if started is aborted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Walbro LLC
    Inventors: Martin N. Andersson, Dale P. Kus
  • Patent number: 10495015
    Abstract: A diagnostic device incorporates a processor and a memory and diagnoses a failure related to a fuel injection system for an engine whose air-fuel ratio of is feedback-controlled. The diagnostic device includes a calculation unit which calculates a corrected value of a fuel injection amount according to a difference between a target value and a measured value of the air-fuel ratio. The diagnostic device includes a setting unit which sets a mask period in which a failure diagnosis is suspended, according to the corrected value upon switchover of a fuel injection mode. The diagnostic device includes a diagnostic unit which does not carry out the diagnosis in the mask period and carries out the diagnosis outside the mask period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya Kitada, Hideo Matsunaga, Satoshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 10473053
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a fuel injector that is controlled by an engine control unit. According to one embodiment a device receives from a temperature sensor information corresponding to the temperature of the engine. The device transmits substitute temperature information to the engine control unit when the temperature of the engine is within a predetermined range of temperatures. The substitute temperature information corresponds to a temperature that is different than the actual temperature of the ICE. The engine control unit controls the fuel injector so that it operates in response to the substitute temperature information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Enviro Fuel Technology, LP
    Inventor: Leon Trudeau
  • Patent number: 10465622
    Abstract: A basic opening (A0) of an EGR control valve (22) is set, based on a current engine operation state. A differential pressure (?P1) across the EGR control valve (22) is calculated, based on an actual exhaust system temperature (T1) sensed by an exhaust temperature sensor (33). A reference differential pressure (?P0) is calculated, which is a differential pressure across the EGR control valve (22) in a steady state corresponding to the current engine operation state. A reference pulsation amplitude (D) is calculated, which is an amplitude of pulsation of the reference differential pressure (?P0). The basic opening (A0) is corrected, based on the differential pressure (?P1), the reference differential pressure (?P0), and the reference pulsation amplitude (D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Kengo Yonekura, Hirofumi Tsuchida, Takayuki Hamamoto
  • Patent number: 10436139
    Abstract: An alarm system is used for a vehicle including a fuel pump and an engine. The alarm system includes a measuring device, a computing device and a warning device. The measuring device is used to read a current rotation speed of the engine and respectively measures a plurality of running times of a plurality of rotation speed values of the current rotation speed. The computing device calculates a plurality of consuming times of the fuel pump corresponding to the rotation speed values according to the running times of the rotation speed values, respectively. When an accumulating consuming time accumulated by the consuming times reaches a default critical value, the warning device generates a warning message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION INDUSTRY
    Inventors: Shi-Huang Chen, Jui-Yang Tsai, Wen-Kai Liu
  • Patent number: 10428714
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control device for an internal combustion engine, in which an electric heating catalyst (EHC) having a catalyst support generating heat by energizing is provided to an exhaust passage. The control device includes a control unit configured to energize the support in the case where a rapid change in intake air flow is detected based on an intake air flow of the internal combustion engine or a correlation value of the intake air flow, so as to suppress any occurrence of a crack caused by an increase in difference in temperature between predetermined portions at the support during the rapid change in intake air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Nagasaka, Hiroshi Tanaka, Kazuki Tsurumi
  • Patent number: 10344695
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine operatively coupled with a variable load and an electronic control system operatively coupled with the internal combustion engine. The electronic control system is structured to receive an engine speed target value, a first engine speed feedback value, and a second engine speed feedback value. The electronic control system processes the first engine speed feedback value and the second engine speed feedback value to determine a feedforward correction value. The feedforward correction value is determined to correct for first variation between the second engine speed feedback value and the first engine speed feedback value due to variation in the variable load and to distinguish between the first variation and a second variation due to operation of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Randal L. Bergstedt, Rohit Saha, Martin T. Books, Richard G. Varo, Jagdeep I. Singh, Bibhu Batchal Mahanta
  • Patent number: 10344699
    Abstract: A microcomputer is configured to: calculate, the drive period of a previous injection, an injection interval, and an uncorrected target drive period for a current injection; obtain a correction period by increasing an internal variable from zero in proportion to the drive period of the previous injection during this drive period, attenuating the internal variable at a first-order delay during the injection interval, dividing the internal variable by a coefficient of the proportion at a start time point of the present current supply, and setting a result of the division as the correction period; and set a period obtained by subtracting the correction period from the uncorrected target drive period as a current drive period, to thereby supply a signal indicating the current drive period to the injector via a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Tanaka, Tomokazu Makino, Hiroyuki Fukuyama, Takeji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10323583
    Abstract: Embodiments for determining oxygen concentration using an oxygen sensor are provided. In one example, a method for determining oxygen concentration O2 in a gas flow of an internal combustion engine which is equipped with an engine controller and an oxygen sensor comprises determining the oxygen concentration O2,sens of the gas flow in a ceramic measurement cell of the sensor by current ISens which is detected by measurement and which flows when a constant voltage USens is applied and maintained, and correcting the oxygen concentration based on a pressure pSens at the measurement cell. In this way, the measured oxygen concentration may be corrected based on the pressure of the air at the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Winge Vigild, Daniel Roettger, Andreas Kuske
  • Patent number: 10323596
    Abstract: An oil dilution rate calculation system of an internal combustion engine acquires a blowby gas flow ratio showing the ratio of the flow of blowby gas to the flow of gas to the combustion chamber and an output current of the air-fuel ratio sensor during fuel cut control in which the internal combustion engine stops the feed of fuel to the combustion chamber and at a plurality of points of time of different flows of blowby gas passing through the blowby gas passage and flowing to the downstream side of the throttle valve in the intake passage, and calculate an oil dilution rate based on the acquired blowby gas flow ratio and output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyamoto, Toru Kidokoro, Yasushi Iwazaki, Kenji Suzuki