Patents Assigned to GM Global Technologies Operations LLC
  • Publication number: 20190109988
    Abstract: A method is used to evaluate a camera-related subsystem in a digital network, e.g., aboard a vehicle or fleet, by receiving, via a camera diagnostic module (CDM), sensor reports from the subsystem and possibly from a door sensor, rain/weather sensor, or other sensor. The CDM includes data tables corresponding to subsystem-specific fault modes. The method includes evaluating performance of the camera-related subsystem by comparing potential fault indicators in the received sensor reports to one of the data tables, and determining a pattern of fault indicators in the reports. The pattern is indicative of a health characteristic of the camera-related subsystem. A control action is executed with respect to the digital network in response to the health characteristic, including recording a diagnostic or prognostic code indicative of the health characteristic. The digital network and vehicle are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wen-Chiao Lin, Shengbing Jiang, Jinsong Wang
  • Publication number: 20190106916
    Abstract: A stretchable adjustable-stiffness assembly includes a casing and first and second friction layers. The casing can be fluidly sealed and includes an interior compartment containing a fluid. The fluid can shift between a first interior pressure and a second interior pressure less than the first interior pressure and an exterior pressure. The first and second friction layers are disposed within the interior compartment. The assembly can shift between relaxed and fixed configurations. In the relaxed configuration, the fluid has the first interior pressure, the casing is stretchable between a first dimension and a second dimension greater than the first dimension, and the assembly has a first stiffness. In the fixed configuration, the first fluid has the second interior pressure, the casing length is fixed, the first and second friction layers are engaged, and the assembly has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ian J. Sutherland, Michael J. Walker, Wonhee M. Kim, Paul W. Alexander, Richard J. Skurkis, Amberlee S. Haselhuhn, Xiujie Gao
  • Publication number: 20190106037
    Abstract: A suspension member for a seat assembly includes a plurality of zones which define spatially varying properties of the suspension member. Each of the zones produces a response to an occupant load imposed on the seat assembly by a seated occupant, where the response includes one or more of a stiffness response, an energy dissipation response, and a thermal response. The response produced by each zone is different from the response produced from any other of the zones. The suspension member can be made of a homogenous material or made of a combination of materials such that each zone is made of a different material. The suspension member can include a textile material formed by weaving, knitting or crocheting. At least one zone of the suspension member can include one or more apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nilesh D. Mankame, Onkar S. Akolkar
  • Publication number: 20190106020
    Abstract: A vehicle is described, and includes a telematics device, a GPS tracking device, and a multi-position driver's seat including a seat position actuator that is operatively connected to a seat controller and disposed to control a position setting thereof. A control system and method for the vehicle is described and includes receiving an alert of an impending traffic event, and determining a desired activation command for the seat position actuator based upon the impending traffic event. The seat controller controls the seat position actuator responsive to the desired activation command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jimmy Qi, Jiang Du, Peggy Wang, Richard Liu, Jian Wu, Xiaowen Dai
  • Publication number: 20190107195
    Abstract: The continuously variable transmission (CVT) assembly includes a CVT including a drive pulley, a driven pulley, and an endless rotatable device coupled between the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The CVT assembly also includes an actuator coupled to the drive pulley. The CVT assembly also includes an angle sensor coupled to the endless rotatable device such that the angle sensor is configured to measure an angular position of the endless rotatable device. The CVT assembly also includes a controller in communication with the actuator and the angle sensor. The controller is programmed to: (a) determine a speed ratio of the CVT based on the angular position of the endless rotatable device; and (b) control the actuator to adjust the clamping force exerted on the drive pulley in response to determining the speed ratio of the CVT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Farzad Samie, Chunhao J. Lee, Derek F. Lahr, Dmitriy Bruder
  • Publication number: 20190105731
    Abstract: A method for bonding metal workpieces includes: (a) heating a plurality of metal workpieces until the metal workpieces are fully annealed; (b) applying pressure to the metal workpieces to compress the metal workpieces together while the metal workpieces are still heated until the metal workpieces fuse together; and (c) actively cooling the metal workpieces while the metal workpieces are compressed together to join the metal workpieces together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric S. Nielsen, Adam R. Ballard, Robert N. Saje
  • Publication number: 20190105972
    Abstract: A roof panel includes a first member and a second member. A panel is attached to and interconnects the first member and the second member. The panel is configurable between a deployed configuration for attachment to a vehicle, and a stowed configuration for storage. The panel has a planar form when in the deployed configuration, and a rolled up form when in the stowed configuration. The panel may include an adjustable stiffness panel, such as a layer jamming panel, controllable in response to a control signal to exhibit a first stiffness when in the deployed configuration or the stowed configuration, or a second stiffness for reforming the panel between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wonhee M. Kim, Paul W. Alexander, Julien P. Mourou, James H. Shoemaker, Besy J. Philip
  • Publication number: 20190107615
    Abstract: A method of tracking an object includes establishing a track from a plurality of sequential Doppler radar frames f?1, f?2, f?3, etc. A location of a representative centroid of a cluster of data points is identified in a Doppler radar frame f. A radial velocity between a location of the track in the Doppler radar frame f?1 and the location of the representative centroid of the cluster in the Doppler radar frame f is calculated. An error between a Doppler velocity of the track in the Doppler radar frame f?1 and the calculated radial velocity is calculated. When the calculated error is less than a minimum error threshold, the representative centroid of the cluster in the Doppler radar frame f is associated with the track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ishai Eljarat, Gonen Barkan, Igal Bilik
  • Publication number: 20190105973
    Abstract: A tonneau cover for a cargo bed of a truck includes a rail system, and a panel secured to the rail system. At least a portion of the rail system or the panel is a layer jamming member having a layer jamming material operable to exhibit a first stiffness in response to a first confining pressure and a second stiffness in response to a second confining pressure. The layer jamming member may include all or a portion of the panel to provide specific regions of the cover, and/or may include portions of the rail system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wonhee M. Kim, Paul W. Alexander, Julien P. Mourou
  • Publication number: 20190107187
    Abstract: Disclosed are damper assemblies for engine disconnect devices, methods for making such damper assemblies, and motor vehicles with a disconnect device for coupling/decoupling an engine with a torque converter (TC). A disconnect clutch for selectively connecting an engine with a TC includes a pocket plate that movably mounts to the TC. The pocket plate includes pockets movably seating therein engaging elements that engage input structure of the TC and thereby lock the pocket plate to the TC. A selector plate moves between engaged and disengaged positions such that the engaging elements shift into and out of engagement with the TC input structure, respectively. A flex plate is attached to the engine's output shaft for common rotation therewith. A damper plate is attached to the pocket plate for common rotation therewith. Spring elements mate the damper and flex plates such that the damper plate is movably attached to the flex plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Derek F. Lahr, Chunhao J. Lee, Farzad Samie, Norman K. Bucknor, Dongxu Li
  • Patent number: 10256482
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack with a bipolar plate assembly and a method of assembling a fuel cell stack such that reactant or coolant leakage is reduced. Bipolar plates within the system include reactant channels and coolant channels that are fluidly coupled to inlet and outlet flowpaths, all of which are formed within a coolant-engaging or reactant-engaging surface of the plate. One or more thin or low aspect-ratio microseals are also formed on a metal bead that is integrally-formed on a surface of the plate and is used to help reduce leakage by maintaining fluid isolation of the reactants and coolant as they flow through their respective channels and flowpaths that are defined between adjacently-placed plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yeh-Hung Lai, Anita Luong
  • Patent number: 10253733
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a cooling fuel supply line that conveys a flow of cooling fuel from a storage tank to a mixing device. An upstream fuel return line conveys a flow of heated fuel to the mixing device from an internal combustion engine. The flow of the heated fuel from the upstream fuel return line mixes with the flow of cooling fuel from the cooling fuel supply line in the mixing device to form a flow of mixed fuel. A downstream fuel return line conveys the flow of mixed fuel from the mixing device to the storage tank. The mixing device includes a flow restrictor operable to generate a low pressure zone relative to a fluid pressure of the flow of cooling fuel in the cooling fuel return line that draws the flow of the cooling fuel through the cooling fuel supply line and into the mixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: William L. Villaire, Edward J. Strzelecki, Manoj R. Chaudhari, Peter Hubl
  • Patent number: 10255913
    Abstract: A system and method of processing disfluent speech at an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes: receiving speech from a speaker via a microphone; determining the received speech includes disfluent speech; accessing a disfluent speech grammar or acoustic model in response to the determination; and processing the received speech using the disfluent speech grammar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xufang Zhao, Gaurav Talwar
  • Patent number: 10252691
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a product comprising an airbag cushion protector constructed and arranged to be place in an airbag chute and so that a first portion of the airbag cushion protector covers the edges of an airbag door during deployment of an airbag cushion and so that the first portion of the protector is interposed between the edges of the airbag door and the airbag cushion throughout deployment of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: William J. Barnes
  • Patent number: 10252601
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a laminated glass panel assembly having inner and outer glass layers includes masking a designated area of the inner glass layer to define an index feature and printing a first blackout layer onto the inner glass layer such that the first blackout layer is not present on the index feature. The method may include unmasking the index feature after printing the first blackout layer, then printing a second blackout layer onto a major surface of the outer glass layer. The major surface overlaps or covers the index feature such that the index feature is not visible to a human observer through the outer glass layer, but is detectable through the outer glass layer using a controller and machine vision logic. A glass panel assembly having the index feature is also described herein, as is a system for making the glass panel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: David G. Meller
  • Patent number: 10253718
    Abstract: An engine fuel system includes a fuel delivery system including a first fuel pump that is coupled to a pressure relief valve that is arranged in parallel with a second fuel pump. The first fuel pump is disposed to deliver pressurized fuel to the second fuel pump and the pressure relief valve, and the second fuel pump is disposed to deliver pressurized fuel to the fuel rail. A controller characterizes the first fuel pump to determine a relationship between a fuel pump speed and a fuel pump current at a setpoint pressure for the pressure relief valve. A feed-forward pump speed command is determined based upon a target fuel pressure and a fuel flowrate. A closed-loop pump speed is commanded based upon the characterization of the fuel pump. The first fuel pump is controlled to deliver fuel to the second fuel pump based thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas L. Grime, Yvan De Blois
  • Publication number: 20190103797
    Abstract: A solenoid assembly includes a solenoid actuator having a core. A coil is configured to be wound at least partially around the core such that a magnetic flux (?) is generated when an electric current flows through the coil. An armature is configured to be movable based on the magnetic flux (?). A controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for controlling the solenoid assembly. The controller is configured to obtain a plurality of model matrices, a coil current (i1) and an eddy current (i2). The magnetic flux (?) is obtained based at least partially on a third model matrix (C0), the coil current (i1) and the eddy current (i2). Operation of the solenoid actuator is controlled based at least partially on the magnetic flux (?). In one example, the solenoid actuator is an injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shifang Li, Thomas W. Nehl, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Avoki Omekanda, Rashmi Prasad, Chandra S. Namuduri
  • Publication number: 20190100194
    Abstract: A method for actively controlling the balance characteristics of a vehicle includes the following steps: (a) determining an aerodynamic balance, vehicle balance, or both of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle body, an aerodynamic element coupled to the vehicle body, a rear axle, a front axle, a pair of wheels coupled to the rear axle, a pair of rear wheels coupled to the rear axle, a pair of front wheels coupled to the front axle, an electronic limited slip differential (eLSD) coupled to the rear axle, and the vehicle balance is based on an aerodynamic downforce on the vehicle; (b) determining that there is surplus downforce capacity available based on the vehicle balance; and (c) controlling, by a controller, the eLSD in response to determining that there is surplus downforce capacity available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jason D. Fahland, Dale Cattell
  • Patent number: 10247149
    Abstract: An engine assembly with an air intake system and a turbocharger device in fluid communication with the air intake system includes an electronic control unit in communication with the air intake system and turbocharger device. A CAC system is in downstream fluid communication with the turbocharger device and in upstream fluid communication with the air intake system and includes at least one flow adjustment mechanism in communication with the electronic control unit and selectively positionable between a first position and one or more second positions to adjust velocity of air from the turbocharger device flowing through the CAC system and to manage condensation buildup in the CAC system and/or to open a bypass duct in order for some or all of the turbo airflow to bypass the CAC system to reduce or eliminate condensation buildup in the CAC system at warm ambient conditions and ice buildup at cold ambient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mark D. Nemesh, Werner Filsinger, Kai Becker
  • Patent number: D845172
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Uwe Mueller