Patents Assigned to Global Technologies LLC
  • Patent number: 7000588
    Abstract: A method for controlling an engine having both an electronically controlled inlet device, such as an electronic throttle unite, and an electronically controlled outlet device, such as a variable cam timing system is disclosed. The method of the present invention achieves cylinder air charge control that is faster than possible by using an inlet device alone. In other words, the method of the present invention controls cylinder air charge faster than manifold dynamics by coordination of the inlet and outlet device. This improved control is used to improve various engine control functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John David Russell, Allan Joseph Kotwicki, Brian D. Rutkowski
  • Patent number: 7001445
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning ambient air of a vehicular adsorption unit (8). The vehicle includes a combustion engine (1) and a passenger ventilation system (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). Adsorption takes place whether the engine (1) is running or not. During adsorption, a fan (11) forces ambient air from an inlet (6) to the ventilation system in a first direction, through an adsorption unit (8), and out of an outlet (10). To desorb when the engine is running, air is supplied to a heater (13). Heated air passes through the adsorption unit (8) to release pollutants and regenerate the unit. Pollutant-containing air passes through a second heater (4,16) and then through the first heater (13) to heat the ambient air. Finally, polluted air is drawn from the heat exchanger (13) to an intake conduit (3) of the engine (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Petersson, Jan Ke Karlsson
  • Patent number: 7000379
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine for low emissions include an inner feedback control loop to control the engine fuel/air ratio with feedback provided by a first exhaust gas sensor and an outer feedback control loop that modifies the fuel/air ratio reference provided to the inner feedback control loop based on feedback signals provided by the first exhaust gas sensor and a second exhaust gas sensor. The fuel/air ratio reference signal controller adapts to the oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst by modeling the catalyst as an integrator with an unknown gain and estimating the catalyst gain based on the first and second exhaust gas sensor signals. Using the estimated catalyst gain, an adaptive controller gain factor is determined and subsequently used to determine the fuel/air ratio reference signal provided to the fuel/air ratio controller of the inner feedback control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Imad Hassan Makki, James Michael Kerns, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: 7000383
    Abstract: A method and a system for improved reductant delivery to an exhaust gas aftertreatment device for a lean burn internal combustion engine exhaust are presented. The system includes a heated evaporator unit into which a mixture of reductant and air in injected, wherein the mixture is vaporized and introduced into the exhaust gas aftertreatment device. Introducing the reductant mixed with air into the heated evaporator unit prevents lacquering and soot deposits on the heated element housed inside the unit, and also speeds up the vaporization process due to better reductant distribution thus reducing system response delays and improving conversion efficiency of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device. The reductant delivery system is further improved by adding a catalyst to it, and by preventing the reductant and air mixture from coming into direct contact with the surface of the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. van Nieuwstadt, Devesh Upadhyay, Michael Goebelbecker, William Charles Ruona
  • Patent number: 7003389
    Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) having a safety system includes a controller (26) determining a first body to road angle; determining a second body to road angle; determining a final body to road angle from the first body to road angle and the second body to road angle; and controlling the safety system in response to the final body to road signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown
  • Publication number: 20060035782
    Abstract: The present invention provides a coarsening resistant automotive exhaust catalyst composition. The composition of the invention comprises a metal or metal-containing compound and a component having alkali metal or an alkaline-earth metal ions bonded to a conjugate base oxide of an inorganic acid. The inorganic acid for which the base oxide is conjugate has a Ka such that the automotive exhaust catalyst composition resists phase transitions that reduce surface area. The present invention also provides a NOx trap which incorporates the exhaust catalyst composition of the invention. Finally, a method of inhibiting coarsening in automotive exhaust catalyst is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hungwen Jen, George Graham, Robert McCabe
  • Patent number: 6997524
    Abstract: A method for preventing a valve orifice from switching to the small size when a high build gradient is required includes briefly bleeding off a small amount of fluid at the upstream side of the valve. This momentarily reduces the pressure difference when beginning the pressure build. After the valve is opened with the large orifice, the fluid flow through the valve prevents a high pressure difference. The resulting build with the large orifice has the maximum pressure gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown
  • Patent number: 6997500
    Abstract: A multifunctional third row seating assembly that is capable of moving between two seating positions, as well as moving between split passenger seating configurations and between seating and storage positions. In the storage position, the third row seating assembly forms a true flat floor in combination with a second row seating assembly. The third row seating assembly includes a seat cushion and a seat squab coupled to it and mounted to the vehicle such that the third row seating assembly can be pivoted in an elliptical movement between a forward and a rearward seating position. The third row seat cushion is also latched such that it can be released and flipped over from a front longitudinal axis to fit into a foot rest area of the vehicle. The third row squab can then be folded down to form a flat floor. The third row squab is also constructed in two sections, so that it is capable of forming a bench seat or a split seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Steele Horsford, Andrew Brian French, Robert Bostock
  • Patent number: 6997433
    Abstract: An electronically controlled valve actuator having an armature, a valve, and a coupler for coupling the actuator to the valve with motion of the armature in a first direction moving the second piston in a second direction. The actuator includes an electromagnet, an armature disposed adjacent to the electromagnetic, and a fluid-containing chamber. The fluid-containing chamber includes a first piston providing a first wall portion of the chamber and a second piston providing a second wall portion of the chamber. The first piston is coupled to the armature and the second piston is coupled to a valve. Activation of the electromagnet moves the first piston in a first direction, such motion of the first piston in the first direction driving fluid in the chamber to move the second piston in an opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Koneda, Thomas Megli, Michael Degner, James Ervin
  • Patent number: 6998811
    Abstract: A method of compensation for current-sensor gain errors in an electric machine drive 14 includes a high frequency carrier signal electrically injected into the electric machine 14. A current-sensor signal of the electric machine 14 is determined. The current-sensor signal is separated into current-sensor carrier signal negative and current-sensor carrier signal positive sequence reference frames. A proportional compensator signal for one of the current-sensor carrier signal reference frames is generated in a feedback loop 24. A magnitude signal of another one of the current-sensor carrier signal reference frames is generated in a different feedback loop 26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Garold P Myers, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 6998819
    Abstract: A method of detecting leakage currents in a high voltage battery pack system reduces detection error caused by fluctuations in battery pack voltage during the detection process. The voltages of the individual modules forming the battery pack are separately and simultaneously measured during each measurement of leakage current on the high and low sides of the leakage point. Measurements of individual module voltages are combined with the simultaneous current leakage measurements to calculate leak resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jizeng Jin
  • Patent number: 6999549
    Abstract: A method for obtaining data includes quantifying tissue fat content using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology, LLC
    Inventors: John Michael Sabol, Matthew Joseph Walker, Gopal B. Avinash, Kadri Nizar Jabri
  • Patent number: 6997298
    Abstract: A powertrain for transmitting torque between a power source and a transmission includes an output shaft driven by the power source, first and second input shafts, a housing, a first flywheel rotatably supported on the housing, a second flywheel rotatably supported on the output shaft and driveably connected to the first flywheel, a first clutch for driveably connecting and disconnecting the first flywheel and the first input shaft, and a second clutch for driveably connecting and disconnecting the second flywheel and the second input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: David Janson
  • Patent number: 6994647
    Abstract: An adaptive shift control method for a geared multiple ratio transmission having friction elements for clutches and brakes to establish and disestablish gear ratio changes wherein at least one ratio change involves engagement of one friction element in synchronism with disengagement of another friction element. Operating parameters are adapted throughout the life of the transmission to reduce synchronous errors by developing and learning pressure and time adjustments for the friction elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Cicala, Brian Keyse, Ihab Soliman, Charles Suter, Kurt Nickerson, Bradley Riedle
  • Patent number: 6994650
    Abstract: In a motor vehicle driveline having an automatic transmission driveably connected to a transfer case, a park gear, continually driveably connected through a planetary gear set to the drive wheels of the vehicle, is alternately fixed against rotation on the transfer case or released to rotate freely in response to movement of a gear selector having a park position. When the gear selector is moved to the park position, a pawl holds the drive wheels against rotation. When the gear selector is moved from the park position, the drive wheels are free to rotate without restraint of the park mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Allen, Steven Thomas, Juliette McCoy
  • Patent number: 6994360
    Abstract: A parallel hybrid electric vehicle powertrain and control method wherein an internal combustion engine and an electric motor system define a split power operating mode, a generator drive mode and a parallel power mode. Provision is made, when the motor is inoperable, for preventing discharge of a battery in the electric motor system when the battery state-of-charge is low and for delivering power from the battery when the battery state-of-charge is greater than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ming Lang Kuang, Christopher A. Ochocinski, David Mack, Joseph W. Anthony
  • Patent number: 6993900
    Abstract: A method is presented for estimating an amount of ammonia stored in a urea-based SCR catalyst based on a dynamic model of the catalyst. The model takes into account chemical and physical properties of the catalyst, such as catalyst volume, the number of available ammonia storage cites, adsorption and desorption dynamics, as well as poisoning, thermal aging, and different catalyst operating temperatures, and generates the estimate based on a measured or estimated amount of NOx in an exhaust gas mixture upstream of the catalyst, an amount of reductant injected into the catalyst to facilitate NOx reduction, and on a measured value of NOx in an exhaust gas mixture downstream of the catalyst. The estimated ammonia storage amount is then used to control the amount of reductant injected into the catalyst to maintain desired ammonia storage amount such that maximum NOx conversion efficiency coupled with minimum ammonia slip are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Devesh Upadhyay, Michiel J. van Nieuwstadt
  • Patent number: 6996602
    Abstract: A server-side method and system are provided for defining and executing client computer applications. Aspects of preferred embodiments include defining a page table associated with a client computer application. The page table includes, for one or more application pages, a current page value, an action value, a process value and a next page value. Preferred embodiments additionally include receiving a request from a client that includes request data, an indication of a current page value and an action value. The preferred embodiments also include processing the request data. The process is defined in the page table as a process value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request. Additionally, the preferred embodiments include returning a response to the request. The response is defined in the page table as the next page value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Dennis Slater
  • Patent number: D514428
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lowell Neset, Gerald Bonnici
  • Patent number: D515462
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Metros, Patrick J. Schiavone, Tyler Jon Blake, Jeffery Nowak