Abstract: A hybrid powertrain system includes a transmission operative in a plurality of operating range states. An operating range state can be secured, including assigning each operating range state to a group that can be verified, monitoring a transition path from a first to a second operating range state, and monitoring a torque equation for the present operating range state.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 3, 2008
Date of Patent:
January 17, 2012
Assignees:
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Abstract: A method of charging a powertrain includes detecting an external power source in electrical communication with the powertrain, establishing a virtual network between charging control module, and transferring charge from the external power source to the powertrain.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 16, 2008
Date of Patent:
January 17, 2012
Assignees:
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellshaft
Inventors:
Nicholas Kokotovich, Aniket Kothari, Michael Bolton
Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for starting an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, wherein the internal combustion engine has an associated electrical machine (1) which is operated as a starter/generator. During starting, the electrical machine (1) is supplied with a voltage which is obtained from addition or from subtraction of the voltages which are produced on a first energy store (3) and the voltages which are produced on a second energy store (4).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 17, 2003
Date of Patent:
January 17, 2012
Assignee:
Daimler AG
Inventors:
Hermann Bosch, Horst Brinkmeyer, Roland Kemmler, Markus Krauss, Ing. Dietrich Sahm, Hans-Christoph Wolf, Anton Heni, Irmgard Heni, legal representative
Abstract: A convertible motor vehicle with at least two vehicle seating rows and with at least two side doors is provided. A respectively associated door column is arranged in between the doors, and an active rollover protection system is provided in the region thereof. The door columns end upwards in the region of an associated waistline of the motor vehicle, and the rollover protection system is at least substantially arranged below the waistline of the motor vehicle in a retracted position.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 18, 2007
Date of Patent:
January 17, 2012
Assignee:
Daimler AG
Inventors:
Jan Gaertner, Thomas Meier, Juergen Schrader, Andreas Zygan
Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell with a cathode region and anode region. The fuel cell system includes an exchanging device, which is flown through by an intake air flow flowing to the cathode region and by a used air flow discharged from the cathode region. In the exchanging device, heat is transferred from the intake air flow to the used air flow, and water vapor is simultaneously transferred from the used air flow to the intake air flow. At least part of the exchanging device is provided with a catalytic material at the intake air side. Furthermore, an exhaust gas from the anode region is fed to the exchanging device at the intake air side.
Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment device for an internal combustion engine, with a first particle filter and a second particle filter arranged downstream of the first particle filter in the flow direction of the exhaust gas through the exhaust gas treatment device. The second particle filter includes a support device that can be flown through by the exhaust gas, on which a filter unit is disposed. A pore size of the filter unit is less than a pore size of the support device. A method for operating an exhaust gas treatment device for an internal combustion engine is also provided.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 27, 2010
Publication date:
January 12, 2012
Applicant:
DAIMLER AG
Inventors:
Andreas Hertzberg, Marcus Frey, Georg Grasi
Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell with a cathode region and an anode region. The fuel cell system also includes at least one device, which is flown through by an intake air flow flowing to the cathode region and by a used air stream discharged from the cathode region. It also includes catalytic material for the thermal conversion of fuel-containing gas. A first unit with catalytic material is arranged in the flow direction of the intake air flow upstream the at least one device. An exhaust gas from the anode region can be fed to this first unit as a fuel-containing gas. A second unit with catalytic material is arranged in the flow direction of the used air flow downstream of the at least one device.
Abstract: A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, a fuel recirculation line provided with a jet pump and a valve controlled by a control unit based on the anode-cathode pressure differential such that the valve is closed to reduce or stop fuel supply when the anode-cathode pressure differential reaches a predetermined value, and opened again to circulate more fuel through the jet pump when the pressure differential is below a predetermined value, to create a pulsed fuel supply that improves the fuel recirculation at low loads and ensures adequate water removal from the anode flow field channels.
Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain system includes monitoring operating conditions of an engine, a transmission device, and an energy storage device. The method further includes determining a first power constraint, filtering the first power constraint utilizing a first filter response time when the first power constraint changes in a first direction, and filtering the first power constraint utilizing a second filter response time when the first power constraint changes in a second direction.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 15, 2008
Date of Patent:
January 10, 2012
Assignees:
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Inventors:
Anthony H. Heap, Jason J McConnell, Wilfried Brunssen
Abstract: In a method for operating an air-compressing fuel-injection internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas post-treatment system with a particle filter and a nitrogen oxide reduction catalytic converter, a plurality of internal combustion engine operating settings are provided, each having respective predefined values for predefined internal combustion engine operating parameters. A heating operating setting is set when the internal combustion engine is warming up, while a basic operating setting is set in the warmed-up state. When the temperature in the exhaust gas system exceeds a predefinable first value, the heating operating setting is changed over to the basic operating setting. In the warmed-up state, at least one further, (third) operating setting, with an exhaust gas recirculation rate that is reduced compared to the basic operating setting, is provided in addition to the basic operating setting.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 31, 2006
Date of Patent:
January 10, 2012
Assignee:
Daimler AG
Inventors:
Bernd Christner, Alexander Kaiser, Berthold Keppeler, Holger Kissling, Markus Paule
Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain includes operating a transmission in a neutral operating range state, monitoring commands affecting an input speed, monitoring a tracked clutch slip speed, determining constraints on an input acceleration based upon the commands, determining a clutch slip acceleration profile based upon the constraints on the input acceleration, determining an input acceleration profile based upon the clutch slip acceleration profile, and controlling the powertrain based upon the clutch slip acceleration profile and the input acceleration profile.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 13, 2008
Date of Patent:
January 10, 2012
Assignees:
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Inventors:
Anthony H. Heap, Lawrence A. Kaminsky, Jy-Jen F. Sah, Kristin L Day
Abstract: Methods and systems for manipulating inputs relating to transmission shifting events in a hybrid-engine powered vehicle equipped with an electro-mechanical hybrid transmission include sets of preferability factors inputted from engine sensors are combined in a microprocessor or computer with other preferability factors generated during engine and vehicle operation to provide an output for a transmission control module, which may execute an operating range or engine state change. Desirable input speeds for a transmission are determined by defining minimum input speeds for each potential transmission operating range state, and ascribing biasing costs to potential transmission input speeds which are slower than the minimum input speeds defined for each potential transmission operating range state.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 23, 2008
Date of Patent:
January 10, 2012
Assignees:
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprising an emission control system that includes at least one catalytic and/or filter-effective emission control component. In conjunction with a cold start and/or a warm-up of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is operated using a cold start engine operation process having predefined values for predefined operating parameters of the internal combustion engine. An amount of hydrocarbons (HC) stored in one or more of the at least one emission control component is estimated, and the cold start engine operation process is activated when the estimation indicates that the amount of stored HC exceeds a predefined maximum amount of stored HC.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 26, 2010
Publication date:
January 5, 2012
Applicant:
Daimler AG
Inventors:
Thomas Koch, Alexander Massner, Anke Traebert
Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas cleaning system that includes a SCR catalyst. In conjunction with a cold start and/or a warm-up of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is operated using a cold start engine operation method having predefineable values for predefineable operating parameters of the internal combustion engine. An amount of nitrogen oxides stored in the SCR catalyst is estimated, and the cold start engine operation method is activated when the estimation indicates that the nitrogen oxide storage amount exceeds a predefineable nitrogen oxide storage amount limit value.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 26, 2010
Publication date:
January 5, 2012
Applicant:
Daimler AG
Inventors:
Thomas Koch, Alexander Massner, Anke Traebert
Abstract: A control apparatus for a fuel cell stack having an operation control module is provided. The operation control module is configured in terms of programming and circuitry in order to control a large number of sensor or actuator systems that are relevant to normal operation. The sensor or actuator systems relate to the operating state of the fuel cell stack during normal operation and have a safety control module that is designed in terms of programming and circuitry to control safety-relevant sensor or actuator systems. The safety-relevant sensor or actuator systems relate to the safety functions of the fuel cell stack and the safety control module is in the form of an assembly which operates autonomously with respect to the operation control module. A method for controlling the fuel cell stack and the operation control module is also provided.
Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-based diagnostic tester which can exchange information with the control devices installed in the motor vehicle using a diagnostic program via a diagnostic interface and via data lines. A method for improved checking of repairs is also presented with the diagnostic tester. The motor vehicle-mounted control devices have program routines for self-diagnostics of the control devices and are capable of storing identified faults in the form of fault codes in reserved memory areas. The diagnostic program which is implemented in the diagnostic tester reads the fault codes out from the reserved memory areas, interprets the fault codes and displays them on a display together with the interpretations. In order to check to what extent repairs which have been performed have been successfully concluded, status polling is carried out using the diagnostic program implemented in the diagnostic tester.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 23, 2005
Date of Patent:
January 3, 2012
Assignee:
Daimler AG
Inventors:
Bernhard Fink, Peter Irkes, Markus Scholz, Klaus Weiss
Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a catalyst including platinum phosphide having a cubic structure, a method of making the catalyst, and a fuel cell utilizing the catalyst. The present disclosure also relates to method of making electrical power utilizing a PEMFC incorporating the catalyst. Also disclosed herein is a catalyst including a platinum complex wherein platinum is complexed with a nonmetal or metalloid. The catalyst with the platinum complex can exhibit good electro-chemically active properties.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 12, 2010
Publication date:
December 29, 2011
Applicants:
FORD MOTOR COMPANY, DAIMLER AG
Inventors:
Natalia Kremliakova, Scott McDermid, Stephen Campbell