Controlling Timing Patents (Class 701/105)
  • Patent number: 11879403
    Abstract: In exemplary embodiments, methods, and systems for multivariable torque control of a vehicle are provided. The method includes configuring a processor disposed of in a multivariable controller to determine a set of references associated with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) by implementing an algorithm based on engine temperature and at least one reference associated with the EGR to generate commands for the control of a set of actuators; Optimizing at least one cam phase position by the control based on a generated command to apply an appropriate level of engine torque for vehicle propulsion; Restricting an allowable range of cam phases associated with operations of an EGR valve for a set of cams based on amounts of humidity and EGR introduced by the EGR valve during an internal combustion phase of vehicle operation; and providing an amount of propulsion torque by an engine in accordance with instructions provided by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David Nicholas Hayden, Thomas E. Godward, Ibrahim Riba
  • Patent number: 11720542
    Abstract: A method for assessing validation points for a simulation model. The method includes: obtaining a reference measured value for at least two measuring points; determining a model form error for each of the at least two measuring points, based on a deviation between the reference measured value of the particular measuring point and a probability distribution for a simulation value at the measuring point, the probability distribution being obtained from the simulation model; forming a metamodel of the model form errors, based on the determined model form errors for the measuring points; determining an uncertainty of the metamodel for at least one further data point that is not contained in the measuring points; and defining the at least one data point as sufficient for a virtual validation if the uncertainty of the metamodel at the at least one further data point is less than a predefined limiting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Stephan Rhode
  • Patent number: 11421621
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine and controlling engine parameters over a range of ambient temperature conditions are provided. A method for an engine includes selecting one or more of an engine speed, an engine load, a base timing, and a fuel common rail pressure from a pre-calibrated engine map corresponding to a selected throttle level and modifying the one or more of the engine speed, the engine load, the base timing, and the fuel common rail pressure based on sensed environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Powerhouse Engine Solutions Switzerland IP Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Simoson, Jennifer Lachapelle, Preeti Vaidya
  • Patent number: 11401878
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus including a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform calculating a target injection time, determining a first crank angle defining a start of fuel injection and a second crank angle defining an end of fuel injection, controlling a fuel injector in an injection start priority mode in which the fuel is injected for the first target injection time from a first time point corresponding to the first crank angle or an injection end priority mode in which the fuel is injected for the second target injection time from a second time point corresponding to a target crank angle, and the controlling including controlling the fuel injector so as to inject the fuel in the injection start priority mode or the injection end priority mode in accordance with an injection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Nakajima, Hidekazu Hironobu, Daiki Yamazaki, Ryuichi Hata, Nobuaki Ito, Yasunori Shinmi
  • Patent number: 11313308
    Abstract: An injection control device includes: a drive control unit that controls energization by correcting an energization instruction time when injecting the fuel by executing the current-drive, and includes an energization time correction amount calculation unit that calculates an energization time correction amount by performing area correction on a current flowing through the fuel injection valve; an abnormality determination unit that determines an abnormality in a control system of the drive control unit; and a correction amount subtraction setting unit that stops a calculation of the energization time correction amount when the abnormality determination unit determines an abnormality, and controls the drive control unit to directly or stepwise reduce the energization time correction amount at an abnormality determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazumasa Kanai, Yohei Suganuma, Hiroyuki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11293370
    Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel injector of an engine system includes applying a pull-in current to close a spill valve of the fuel injector and detecting a timing at which the spill valve closes. The method also includes adjusting at least one of an amplitude of the pull-in current, a duration of the pull-in current, or a timing of a start of an application of the pull-in current based on the detected timing of the closing of the spill valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Puckett, Andrew O. Marrack, Michael E. Sattler, Mitchell B. Juchems
  • Patent number: 11104326
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control unit is configured to, in a case where a traveling mode setting unit sets a first traveling mode, increase a rotational speed of an internal combustion engine in accordance with an increase in a speed of a vehicle, and when a rotational speed reaches a predetermined first rotational speed, decrease the rotational speed to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. In a case where the internal combustion engine control unit decreases the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine to the second rotational speed, the traveling mode setting unit forbids a transition to the second traveling mode for a predetermined period from when the rotational speed is decreased to the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mamiko Inoue, Kentaro Shiraki, Tatsuya Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11098667
    Abstract: During operation of the engine for a time period from a system-on operation to a system-off operation, the vehicle causes the warming-up determination parameter to be subject to addition when an engine is not in a flow path heat release state where an amount of heat released in the supply flow path is expected to be larger than an amount of heat received in the supply flow path, while causing the warming-up determination parameter to be subject to subtraction when the engine is in the flow path heat release state and a duration time of the flow path heat release state is equal to or longer than a first predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Ohori, Naoya Okubo
  • Patent number: 11060498
    Abstract: A method and a corresponding device are disclosed for starting an internal combustion engine designed for alcohol or a high content of alcohol in a mixed alcohol-gasoline fuel, including setting an early starting ignition time point in a first time period beginning immediately after the activation of the starting process of the engine. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is monitored and the number of the cylinder working cycles is summed during the starting process and, upon exceeding a predetermined rotational speed threshold value, the number of those cylinder working cycles is summed in which there occurs a rotational speed increase greater than a predetermined threshold value. The number of the cylinder working cycles is compared with predetermined threshold values and, upon reaching or exceeding the threshold values, the ignition time point is shifted starting from the early ignition time point toward a late ignition time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Reiner Otto Beckmann
  • Patent number: 11002212
    Abstract: A Simulink modeling method for a mechanical hydraulic device of an aeroengine fuel regulator is proposed. The Simulink modeling method can implement high precision simulation of a mechanical hydraulic device of an engine fuel conditioning system, and greatly increase the simulation speed as compared with the existing modeling simulation in AMESim; solve the problem of a double-layered nested algebraic loop occurring when the mechanical hydraulic device is modeled in Simulink, and improve the simulation precision of the system. In addition, because of having certain universality, the resolving method for a double-layered nested algebraic loop can be generalized to resolve other types of algebraic loops. Meanwhile, the parameters of the simulation model provided by the present invention can be conveniently modified, and can provide a reference for modeling simulation of mechanical and hydraulic devices of engine fuel conditioning systems of other types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ximing Sun, Xian Du, Rui Wang, Yanhua Ma, Xinyue Wang
  • Patent number: 10968852
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a fuel system of a vehicle to diagnose whether a fuel filter is functioning as desired. In one example, a method may include, in response to a fuel rail pressure decreasing below a threshold pressure while an engine of the vehicle is running, diagnosing whether degradation of fuel injectors or a fuel pressure regulator of the vehicle has occurred while the engine is not running. Then, only if degradation of the fuel injectors and fuel pressure regulator has not occurred, a fuel filter cleaning routine is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed Dudar, Thomas Leone, Kenneth Miller
  • Patent number: 10920710
    Abstract: A method for identifying faulty components of a fuel injection system is disclosed, wherein a secondary injection is performed individually by each injector during a test routine, after the secondary injection several predefined parameters of the fuel injection system are determined, and a combined assessment of the determined parameters is used to draw conclusions about whether or not components of the fuel injection system are faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GMBH
    Inventors: Robert Hoffmann, Peter Matthias Ruße, Tany Gargiso, Michael Kausche
  • Patent number: 10900458
    Abstract: A method of stopping an engine crankshaft includes selecting a target angular position at which the engine crankshaft is to be stopped and detecting an actual angular position of the engine crankshaft and a rotational speed of the engine crankshaft. A stopping torque in calculated based on the actual angular position of the engine crankshaft and the rotational speed of the engine crankshaft. The stopping torque is applied to the engine crankshaft via a motor/generator operably connected to the engine crankshaft. The engine crankshaft is stopped at the target angular position via the application of the stopping torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Paul S. Lombardo, David W. Walters, Chunhao J. Lee, Chandra S. Namuduri, Neeraj S. Shidore, Thomas W. Nehl
  • Patent number: 10851718
    Abstract: A controller increases an actual oil pressure up to a transient oil pressure (an actuating oil pressure) and then supplies oil adjusted to have the transient oil pressure (the actuating oil pressure) to valve stopping mechanisms to actuate the valve stopping mechanisms. The controller, when actuating the valve stopping mechanisms, starts increase in an intake filling amount when the actual oil pressure increases up to a predetermined determination value set at the transient oil pressure (the actuating oil pressure) or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Nishio, Takahiro Yamamoto, Toshiaki Nishimoto, Masanori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10787981
    Abstract: Power system optimization is disclosed. An example power system described herein may include an engine control module that receives measurements associated with sensors, identifies settings associated with control devices, determines that a first set of parameters associated with the one or more control devices is to be optimized according to a first optimization process, iteratively performs the first optimization process until the first set of parameters are optimized, determines that a second set of parameters associated with the one or more control devices are to be optimized according to a second optimization process, iteratively performs the second optimization process until the second set of parameters are optimized, and, after the second set of parameters are optimized according to the second optimization process, configures one of the control devices to operate using an optimized value for the control device determined using the second optimization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sylvain Charbonnel, Fang Guo, Anand Krishnamurthygopalan, Gavin Williams
  • Patent number: 10787984
    Abstract: Power system optimization calibration is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sylvain Charbonnel, Gavin Williams, Mark Scaife, Anand Krishnamurthygopalan
  • Patent number: 10655547
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine comprising: a catalyst arranged in an exhaust passage and able to store oxygen, a variable valve timing mechanism able to change a valve overlap amount between an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and a fuel supplying means for feeding fuel to the exhaust passage. The fuel supplying means feeds fuel to the exhaust passage only in an initial cycle after scavenging where valve overlap causes air to be expelled from an intake passage through a cylinder to the exhaust passage if such scavenging occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Kimura, Takuya Okubo, Norihisa Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10655614
    Abstract: A high-pressure pump includes a plunger that varies a volume of a pressurizing chamber, and a control valve that controls supply of fuel into the pressurizing chamber through a first valve body. When a predetermined execution condition is satisfied, an ECU reduces power supplied to a coil more than that in a normal control to implement a noise reduction control for reducing an operating noise generated along with the driving of the valve body. During the noise reduction control, a responsiveness parameter indicating responsiveness from starting energization of the coil until the valve body is displaced to a valve closing position is acquired. An energization start timing in the noise reduction control is calculated based on the acquired responsiveness parameter after the parameter is acquired. As a result, a discharge amount control of the high-pressure pump can be appropriately implemented in the noise reduction control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Takagawa, Takahisa Natori
  • Patent number: 10628215
    Abstract: An electronic device processes tasks in an application program on a first thread; creates, by the first thread, one or more additional threads distinct from the first thread; and partially processing a plurality of layout objects in the application program on the one or more additional threads. In accordance with a determination that one or more thread-control criteria are satisfied, the processing of the plurality of layout objects in the application program on the one or more additional threads is paused and control of processing the application program is given to the first thread, which processes additional tasks in the application program. After the additional tasks are processed, the processing of the plurality of layout objects resumes on the one or more additional threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Scott Paul Goodson
  • Patent number: 10557427
    Abstract: In various aspects, internal combustion engines, engine controllers and methods of controlling engines are described. The engine includes a camshaft and a two cylinder sets. Cylinders in the first are deactivatable and cylinders in the second set may be fired at high or low output levels. The air charge for each fired working cycle is set based on whether a high or low torque output is selected. In some implementations, the camshaft is axially shiftable between first and second positions. First cam lobes are configured to cause their associated cylinders to intake a large air charge during intake strokes that occur when the camshaft is in the first position. Second cam lobes for cylinders in the second set cause their associated cylinders to intake a smaller air charge when the camshaft is in the second position. Second cam lobes for cylinders in the first set deactivate their associated cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Younkins, Louis J. Serrano
  • Patent number: 10465780
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a torque converter having a housing forming a hydraulic chamber, a rotor for an electric motor, a rotor carrier non-rotatably connected to the rotor, wherein the rotor carrier is fixed to the torque converter housing, and a seal is disposed between the torque converter housing and rotor carrier for sealing therebetween. In some example embodiments, the rotor assembly has at least one bolt for fixing the torque converter housing to the rotor carrier. In some embodiments, the rotor carrier includes an aperture and the at least one bolt is disposed in the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gabe Pyers, Matthew Payne, Markus Steinberger, Allen McAfoos
  • Patent number: 10458359
    Abstract: A method for determining a time at which a fuel injector, for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, is in a predetermined opening state comprises applying a predetermined electrical voltage profile to the solenoid drive, detecting the temporal profile of the current strength of a current flowing through the coil of the solenoid drive, detecting the temporal profile of the voltage across the coil, determining a function based on the temporal profile of the current strength and the temporal profile of the voltage, wherein the function represents the interlinked magnetic flux or a temporal derivative of the interlinked magnetic flux in the solenoid drive, and determining the time as the time at which the function has a characteristic feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: CPT Group GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Hauser
  • Patent number: 10393052
    Abstract: A target injector valve opening period is calculated based on a target fuel injection amount, and an injector (2) is controlled by a current supply control unit (51) in accordance with an injector drive period acquired based on the target injector valve opening period. An actual valve closing delay period is calculated based on a drive waveform of the injector (2) at this time, and a difference between an actual valve closing delay period and a valve closing delay period calculated from a target injector valve opening period is learned. Then, the injector drive period is corrected by feedback control using a result of this learning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Makino, Toru Tanaka, Osamu Maeda, Hideki Hagari, Hiroyuki Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 10371069
    Abstract: In previous control systems for engines that fuelled with a conventional fuel and an alternative fuel, a conventional fuel controller controlled fuelling for both fuels. This required extensive modifications to both the conventional fuel controller and an alternative fuel controller. A control system for an engine comprises a first control unit programmed to generate a first pulse width to actuate a first fuel injector to introduce a first fuel; a second control unit programmed to generate a second pulse width to actuate a second fuel injector to introduce a second fuel; and a communication line between the first and second control units. The first control unit determines a total fuel energy amount to be introduced by the first and second fuel injectors. The second control unit determines a first fraction of the total fuel energy amount to be from the first fuel and a second fraction of the total fuel energy amount to be from the second fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: WESTPORT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Raymond Bzymek, Brian Chambers, Mark E. Dunn
  • Patent number: 10294835
    Abstract: When a stop request to the engine is issued, it is determined whether or not all of the drive cams are large cams. When it is determined that at least one of the small cams is included in the drive cams, the engine is continued to drive for a while and a switch control for switching the drive cams from the small cams to the large cams is executed within the duration. A self-holding type solenoid is used to switch between the small cams and the large cams. In the switch control, a permission to stop the engine is output at a timing when the “pin protrudable section” of the final cylinder #2 has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kaoru Ohtsuka, Hiroyuki Sugihara, Shinji Sadakane, Noriyasu Adachi, Shigehiro Sugihara, Keisuke Sasaki, Takayoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 10287946
    Abstract: An exhaust system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a nitrogen oxide storing catalytic collector connected to an exhaust line and collecting a nitrogen oxide included an exhaust gas in a first temperature or less; a first selective catalytic reducer disposed at a rear portion of the nitrogen oxide storing catalytic collector and reducing a nitrogen oxide included in the exhaust gas; and a first urea injector disposed at the front side of the nitrogen oxide storing catalytic collector and supplying a urea solution when a temperature of the nitrogen oxide exceeds the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hyokyung Lee, Chang Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 10253710
    Abstract: A method for starting an engine is provided. The method comprises in response to an engine start request, cycling a gaseous fuel injector prior to activating a starter motor. In this way, delayed engine starts using gaseous fuel may be mitigated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Samuel Guido, Ed Badillo
  • Patent number: 10208695
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control apparatus of an engine. The apparatus carries out a minute-injection for injecting a minute amount of a fuel so as not to generate an engine torque when a required engine load is zero. The apparatus calculates at least one coefficient for correcting a heat release gravity position calculated when the minute-injection is carried out such that it corresponds to its base position and/or for correcting a heat release rate corresponding the gravity position calculated when the minute-injection is carried out such that it corresponds to its base rate. When the required engine load is larger than zero, the apparatus controls the gravity position corrected by the coefficient to its target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Yamashita, Hiroshi Oyagi, Kazuyasu Iwata
  • Patent number: 10112597
    Abstract: A vehicle includes, an engine, an electric machine having an associated battery, and a controller. The controller is configured to disable the engine and operate the electric machine to propel the vehicle when a proximity of the vehicle to a destination is less than a drive range of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Whitney Belt, Shunsuke Okubo, Craig Edward Esler, Ryan J. Skaff
  • Patent number: 10060381
    Abstract: A method is described for determining an opening delay of a fuel injector in which by activating a solenoid with the aid of an armature, a valve needle may be opened wherein a mathematical model is used which includes an activation duration of the solenoid as an input variable and a respective opening delay as an output variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Schenck Zu Schweinsberg, Achim Hirchenhein, Klaus Joos, Markus Amler, Michael Bauer, Werner Hess
  • Patent number: 10001058
    Abstract: A combustion speed, for example, is estimated or evaluated, with a required accuracy, more simply than the conventional art, while reducing man-hours to produce a heat generation rate waveform of an internal combustion engine. An increase rate of a heat generation rate relative to a change in a crank angle in a heat generation rate increasing period (e.g., a first-half combustion period a) in which the heat generation rate increases after ignition of an air-fuel mixture is defined as a heat generation rate gradient b/a that is one of characteristic values of the heat generation rate waveform. The heat generation rate gradient is estimated based on a fuel density (e.g., fuel density ?fuel@dQpeak at heat generation rate maximum time) at a predetermined time set in advance in the heat generation rate increasing period so as to produce the heat generation rate waveform using the estimated heat generation rate gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Munenori Imaeda
  • Patent number: 9989000
    Abstract: To provide a control device capable of setting a plurality of combustion parameters changing a combustion state of an internal combustion engine to appropriate values and improving a fuel consumption rate regardless of an operation state. An engine ECU 70 sets a combustion parameter (main injection timing, pilot injection timing, fuel injection pressure, turbocharging pressure, or the like) such that a center-of-gravity position of a heat generation rate becomes a constant target crank angle regardless of a load of an engine 10, In addition, the ECU 70 estimates the center-of-gravity position of a heat generation rate based on an output of an in-cylinder pressure sensor 64 and feedback-controls the combustion parameter such that the estimated center-of-gravity position of a heat generation rate becomes equal to the target crank angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Yamashita, Kazuyasu Iwata
  • Patent number: 9915239
    Abstract: A vehicle starter assembly includes a switching circuit configured to operate in a charging state and a discharging state, and a first energy storage device and a second energy storage device electrically connected to the switching circuit. The first energy storage device and the second energy storage device are connected in parallel to one another in the charging state and in series with one another in the discharging state. The processor is programmed to detect an engine start request and output a switch control signal that toggles the switching circuit between the charging state and the discharging state to start an internal combustion engine of a host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hasdi R. Hashim, Arnold Kweku Mensah-Brown, Bruce Carvell Blakemore, Mark Douglas Malone
  • Patent number: 9902393
    Abstract: A vehicle control system is provided to ensure acceleration response while improving energy efficiency in an autonomous vehicle in which an operating mode is selected from an autonomous mode and a manual mode. A switching device is disposed between a motor and drive wheels to switch a driving mode between a direct drive mode and a differential drive mode. A controller executes a motor-idling control to keep a speed of the motor to a standby speed during propulsion in a motor-standby mode. The controller is configured to select a first standby speed of a motor idling control in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the manual mode, and to select a second standby speed that is lower than the first standby speed in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the autonomous mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahito Endo, Kazumi Hoshiya, Yoshio Ito, Norimi Asahara, Seiji Kuwahara, Tadashi Fujiyoshi, Yuji Iwase
  • Patent number: 9902392
    Abstract: A mobility information processing apparatus includes: an allocator that allocates one driving mode-selected from driving modes having different drive forms to each partitioned section, in a route of a moving object; and an estimator that estimates the driving mode selected for each section located apart from a predetermined point in the route and that calculates an estimated amount of energy required for traveling in the section estimated to correspond to the one selected driving mode among the driving modes, wherein the allocator determines whether the one selected driving mode is allocated to each section up to a predetermined point in the route on the basis of an allocated energy amount obtained by subtracting the estimated energy amount calculated by the estimator from a residual energy amount of a power source used in the one selected driving mode for each section up to the predetermined point in the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9804585
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a crankshaft. The method comprises receiving data related to a three dimensional scan of the crankshaft, generating a crankshaft computer model based on the data, and determining whether the crankshaft is suitable for machining into a machined crankshaft based on the crankshaft computer model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: James M Leverington
  • Patent number: 9683513
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving fuel injection of an engine that includes a cylinder receiving fuel from a direct fuel injector are disclosed. In one example, a transfer function or gain of a direct fuel injector is adjusted in response to an exhaust lambda value and a pulse width of a plurality of split fuel injections provided to an injector of the cylinder during a cylinder cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Adithya Pravarun Re Ranga, Gopichandra Surnilla, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 9644562
    Abstract: In an injector driving apparatus, a driving circuit supplies a current individually to each coil of multiple injectors, a current detection element detects the current flowing in a common current flow path, which is common to the coils, a current supply period guard part forcibly stops the current supplied from the driving circuit to the coil upon determination that a measured period reached a predetermined set period based on a detection result of the current detection element, and a diagnosis part operates in a period of no fuel injection to check whether the current supply period guard part normally stops the current supplied to the coil, by continuously supplying the current to the coil for only a short period, which disables the injector to open a valve, and sequentially switches over the coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Syohei Fujita
  • Patent number: 9546638
    Abstract: A control device (7) of a cylinder direct injection type internal combustion engine (1) controls a fuel injection device (4) and an ignition device (5), executes injection of the fuel and ignition over multiple times, and executes a control of varying an interval between a timing of the injection of the fuel and a timing of the ignition, at the time of an ignition start in which the fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (3) in an expansion stroke with rotation of an output shaft (6) is stopped state and the fuel is ignited to start the rotation of the output shaft (6). The control device (7) varies the interval between the timing of the injection of the fuel and the timing of the ignition by adjusting a correlation of a pitch of the injection of the fuel over multiple times and a pitch of the ignition over multiple times. Therefore, the internal combustion engine (1) and the control device (7) have an effect of being able to enhance the starting property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Naoki Nakanishi, Yukihiko Ideshio
  • Patent number: 9546611
    Abstract: A parameter determination system includes first and second difference modules, a ratio module, and an M index module. The first difference module determines a first crankshaft angle of a combustion event of an engine, determines a second crankshaft angle of the combustion event of the engine, and determines a first difference between the first and second crankshaft angles. The second difference module determines a third crankshaft angle of the combustion event of the engine, determines a fourth crankshaft angle of the combustion event of the engine, and determines a second difference between the third and fourth crankshaft angles. The ratio module determines a ratio of the first difference to the second difference. The M index module determines an M index value for the Wiebe function based on the ratio and displays the M index value on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chao F. Daniels, Xu Han
  • Patent number: 9512803
    Abstract: Various systems and methods for determining a start of fuel injection including a gaseous fuel in an internal combustion engine are provided. In one embodiment, an end of gas injection, a duration of gas injection, and a start of gas injection in an induction pipe of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine is determined based on one or more operating parameters. An earliest possible start of gas injection is further determined, and if the start of gas injection is before the earliest possible start of gas injection, at least one of the one or more operating parameters is modified such that the start of gas injection does not occur before the earliest possible start of gas injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ulrich Kramer, Rolf Klein, Klemens Grieser
  • Patent number: 9476349
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for operating a piston driven, internal combustion engine (10) including a the piston (40) translating in a cylinder (30). The engine (10) has an intake stroke, followed by a partial exhaust stroke, followed by a compression stroke, followed by a power stroke and then an exhaust stroke, all of which are sequentially repeated. The compression stroke has a stroke length that is less than the stroke length of the power stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: David S. Wells
  • Patent number: 9404464
    Abstract: A controlled engine shutdown method is disclosed that includes monitoring exhaust system temperature, monitoring operator shutdown commands, and delaying engine shutdown based on exhaust system temperature. The method can include inhibiting any process that affects exhaust temperatures, for example DPF regeneration. The method can use a shutdown timer, allow operator override of the shutdown delay, and display a delay notification message. The method can also include predicting when an engine shutdown is expected, and delaying or aborting any process that would affect exhaust temperatures when an engine shutdown is predicted. Predicting can include monitoring various machine states, determining an average activity interval for the machine, determining a geographic shutdown area, determining a shutdown time of day and/or monitoring a machine fluid level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Mark E. Hull, Steven R. Sass, John C. Lauper, Anthony K. Kraft, Thomas L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 9399933
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve having a head and a stem. The head is configured to seal against a valve seat. The stem has a distal end. A first piston radially extends from the stem of the valve and is enclosed within a housing. A second piston is fixed to the distal end of the stem and seals against the housing. A first chamber is defined by the first piston, second piston and the housing and receives a compressed gas and maintains a desired gas pressure. A spring device is disposed intermediate the first piston and the housing. During normal operation of the engine, the gas pressure within the first chamber seals the head of the valve against the valve seat with the spring device in a compressed arrangement and wherein during periods of insufficient gas pressure the spring device biases the valve to seal against the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: PLYMOUTH MACHINE INTEGRATION, LLC
    Inventors: Alan M. Thomason, Charles E. Harris
  • Patent number: 9388716
    Abstract: A system, for use in accounting for an effect of a long-trip cycle on remaining life of engine oil, being used in a vehicle, using a long-trip rebate value. The system includes a computer processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that is in operative communication with the processor and has instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The operations include determining a long-trip time indicating an amount of time that the vehicle was operated recently in the long-trip cycle. The operations further include determining the long-trip rebate according to a rebate function using the determined long-trip time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Donald John Smolenski, Eric W. Schneider, Daniel Hicks Blossfeld, Matthew J. Snider, Eric R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9328690
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes an injection timing adjustment module and an injection control module. The injection timing adjustment module generates an adjusted fuel injection timing when a fuel request is received and the engine is operating in a transient state, wherein the adjusted fuel injection timing is based on a base fuel injection timing, an elapsed time since the fuel request, and at least one of a plurality of engine operating parameters. The injection control module controls fuel injection based on the adjusted fuel injection timing for a period, and controls fuel injection based on the base fuel injection timing after the period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Shibata, Joshua D. Cowgill, John Ogalla Waldman, David P. Sczomak
  • Patent number: 9316169
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular a gas engine, having at least three cylinders, wherein a cylinder-specific signal (pmax, E) is acquired from each of the at least three cylinders, wherein a reference value (pmedian, Emedian) is generated from the cylinder-specific signals (pmax, E), wherein at least one combustion parameter (Q, Z) of one of the at least three cylinders is controlled as a function of a deviation of the cylinder-specific signal of the one of the at least three cylinders (pmax, E) from the reference value (pmedian, Emedian), whereupon the cylinder-specific signal of the one of the at least three cylinders (pmax, E) follows the reference value (pmedian, Emedian), wherein a median of the cylinder-specific signals (pmax, E) is generated as the reference value (pmedian, Emedian).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: GE JENBACHER GMBH & CO OG
    Inventors: Christian Barth, Herbert Kopecek, Nikolaus Spyra, Michael Waldhart
  • Patent number: 9261043
    Abstract: A stop control system for an engine including a crankshaft is provided with a motor and a control device. The motor is connected to the crankshaft of the engine, and the control device is configured to stop the crankshaft in a compression stroke of the engine by temporarily driving the motor to thereby assist rotation of the crankshaft that is still being forwardly rotated after starting stop control operation of the engine under predetermined engine stop conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Teruya
  • Patent number: 9255534
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine with a turbo-supercharger including a variable valve mechanism at least at either one of an intake side and an exhaust side includes a scavenging amount setting means for determining an upper limit value of a scavenging amount moving from an intake passage to an exhaust passage across the interior of a cylinder during a valve overlap period to satisfy a performance requirement for the internal combustion engine, and a variable valve control means for controlling the duration of the valve overlap period according to the scavenging amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsuyuki, Naozumi Katou, Daisuke Takaki
  • Patent number: 9199552
    Abstract: A method for monitoring torque produced by a motor vehicle engine, or an electric engine, including: comparing an estimated or measured value of torque produced by the engine with a low limit value or high limit value to detect excessive braking or acceleration and/or a lack of braking or acceleration; calculating the low limit value or high limit value, the calculating including: subtracting or adding a static error value to a torque value requested by a driver of the vehicle to obtain a low or high intermediate signal; and applying, to the intermediate signal, a delay corresponding to a response time of the engine to a torque increase request or to a torque decrease request expressed by the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Marco Marsilia, Islam Ait-Hammouda