Patents Assigned to GM Global Technology Operation LLC
  • Patent number: 9976668
    Abstract: A valve directs fluid flow received from a device to one of a heater and a cooler. The valve includes a spool movably disposed in the housing between a first, second, and third position. An actuator is in fluid communication with the fluid. The actuator includes a smart material that deactivates when the fluid temperature is no greater than a first temperature, partially activated when the fluid temperature is greater than the first temperature, and fully activated when the fluid temperature is at least equal to a second temperature. The spool moves to the first position when deactivated and fluid flows from the cavity, to the heater. The spool moves to the second position when partially activated to prevent fluid from flowing to each of the heater and the cooler. The spool moves to the third position when fully activated and fluid flows from the cavity, to the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xiujie Gao, Dongxu Li, Nancy L. Johnson, Ronald R. Semel
  • Patent number: 9975421
    Abstract: A shutter assembly includes a shutter frame and at least one louver moveably mounted to the shutter frame. The shutter assembly also includes a mechanism configured to shift the at least one louver relative to the shutter frame to select a position for the shutter assembly between and inclusive of fully-opened and fully-closed. The shutter assembly additionally includes a heating element configured to generate thermal energy sufficient to melt ice formation on the shutter assembly and facilitate shifting of the at least one louver relative to the shutter frame. Furthermore, the shutter assembly includes a controller configured to regulate the mechanism and activate the heating element. A method of controlling operation of a shutter assembly and a vehicle having such a shutter assembly are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas H. Froling, David Schroeck
  • Patent number: 9975585
    Abstract: A dive-plane system for a vehicle includes first and second dive-planes. The vehicle includes a vehicle body having a first vehicle body end facing oncoming ambient airflow when the vehicle is in motion and first and second lateral body sides. The first dive-plane is mounted to the first lateral body side proximate the first body end to generate an aerodynamic downforce on the first body end at the first lateral body side. The second dive-plane is mounted to the second lateral body side proximate the first body end and configured to generate an aerodynamic downforce on the first body end at the second lateral body side. The dive-plane system also includes a mechanism configured to selectively and individually shift each of the first and second dive-planes relative to the vehicle body to adjust a magnitude of the aerodynamic downforce generated by each dive-plane on the first vehicle body end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Joshua R. Auden, Jason D. Fahland, David Dominguez
  • Patent number: 9978226
    Abstract: A device for haptically communicating to an individual includes a haptic unit that is operatively coupled to a remotely located actuator to effect a haptic pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nilesh D. Mankame, Paul W. Alexander, Raymond J. Kiefer, Blagoj Dungevski, Richard J. Skurkis
  • Patent number: 9977438
    Abstract: A resettable thermal pressure relief device (TPRD) is disclosed. The TPRD includes a piston, a housing adapted to receive the piston and allow movement between an open and a closed position. The housing includes an actuator having a temperature sensitive material disposed therein. The temperature sensitive material volumetrically expands, increasing a length of the actuator and forcing a lever from a first position to a second position. The piston is held in the closed position by the lever in the first position. When the lever moves to the second position, the piston is allowed to move to the open position, allowing a fluid to flow through the TPRD from a high pressure vessel in communication therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Rainer Pechtold
  • Patent number: 9975419
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an air dam assembly disposed at a first end of the vehicle body that is configured to control an airflow between the vehicle body and a road surface from outside the vehicle to the under-hood compartment of the vehicle. The air dam assembly includes a housing having a top wall and a bottom wall defining a forward wall and an opposing rearward wall therebetween. A plurality of flexible pleats are disposed on the forward wall of the of the air dam housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Joseph N. Eckstein
  • Patent number: 9975436
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle having a first axle driven by an internal combustion engine, and a second axle independently driven by an electric device includes determining if the accelerator pedal is disposed in a depressed position or in a non-depressed position, and determining if a brake pedal is disposed in a depressed position or in a non-depressed position. An axle control strategy for controlling energy regeneration of an energy storage device is selected based on the position of the accelerator pedal being in either the depressed position or the non-depressed position, and the position of the brake pedal being in either the depressed position or the non-depressed position. A control signal is communicated to at least one of the first axle or the second axle to implement the selected axle control strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Marsella L. White, Michael G. Petrucci
  • Patent number: 9979897
    Abstract: A method of detecting and correcting flicker. A video stream of a scene at various instances of time is captured by an image capture device. A local spatio-temporal feature extraction technique is applied, by a processor, to regions of the capture scene within each frame. Candidate flickering region detection is applied, by a classifier, to identify candidate regions. Corresponding candidate regions are tracked over time to detect illumination differences within each analyzed region. An illumination correction technique is applied to the candidate regions where flickering is detected. A flicker-free video is output on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Veronique C. Prinet, Caroline Chung, Wende Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180138513
    Abstract: In certain aspects, electrolytic deposition and electroless displacement deposition methods are provided to form bimetallic structures that may be used as a bipolar current collector in a battery or a substrate for forming graphene sheets. In other aspects, bipolar current collectors for lithium-ion based electrochemical cells are provided. The bimetallic current collector may have an aluminum-containing surface and a continuous copper coating. In other aspects, a flexible substrate may be coated with one or more conductive materials, like nickel, copper, graphene, aluminum, alloys, and combinations thereof. The flexible substrate is folded to form a bipolar current collector. New stack assemblies for lithium-ion based batteries incorporating such bipolar current collectors are also provided that can have cells with a tab-free and/or weld-free design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Fang Dai, Mahmoud H. Abd Elhamid, Anne M. Dailly, Mei Cai
  • Patent number: 9971336
    Abstract: An assembly system and a part holding assembly are configured to locate and secure a part defining a plurality of holes. The assembly includes a frame having a track. The assembly includes a first device and a second device each supported by the frame. One of the devices is movable along the track for positioning the devices relative to each other and relative to the location of the holes of the part. The first device includes a first pin and the second device includes a second pin. Each of the pins is movable between a closed position and an open position. The pins are configured to be disposed through respective holes of the part when in the closed position for locating the part. The pins are configured to expand in the respective holes when in the open position for securing the part to the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jianying Shi, Scott A. McLeod, Justin Jay Hackett
  • Patent number: 9973120
    Abstract: An electric machine assembly includes an electric machine having a stator configured to have a stator current and a controller configured to receive a torque command (T). The controller stores a modulation flag (Fm) and a six step active flag (FS), each having a respective status. The controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method of controlling a six step pulse width modulation operation in the assembly. The controller is programmed to determine the respective status of a six step active flag (FS) based at least partially on the torque command (T) and the respective status of the modulation flag (Fm). The controller is configured to control at least one operating parameter of the electric machine based at least partially on the respective status of the six step active flag (FS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Dwarakanath V. Simili, Anno Yoo, Yo Chan Son
  • Patent number: 9969229
    Abstract: A suspension system allows travel of a sprung mass relative to an unsprung mass. A primary stage has a primary leaf attached between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass. An auxiliary stage has an auxiliary leaf operatively attached to either the primary stage or unsprung mass. A variable engagement bracket includes a mount point, attached to the sprung mass and defining an axis, and an offset arm extending from the mount point and rotatable about the axis. The offset arm contacts the auxiliary stage at a first point at a first travel of the suspension system and at a second point at a second travel. The first point provides or defines a maximum contact span and the second provides a minimum contact span, smaller than the maximum contact span, for the auxiliary stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Peter J. Soles
  • Patent number: 9973134
    Abstract: An electrical system includes a direct current (DC) voltage bus, a power supply providing a supply voltage to the DC voltage bus, an electric machine connected to the power supply, a reverse current protection (RCP) circuit positioned between the power supply and the electric machine, the RCP circuit including an energy dissipating element, and a controller. As part of an associated method, the controller detects a reverse current condition in which a current flows from the electric machine toward the power supply when an induced voltage of the electric machine exceeds a voltage level of the voltage bus. The controller transmits a control signal to the RCP circuit to direct the electrical current through the energy dissipating element for a duration of the reverse current condition or for a predetermined duration equal to or greater than that of the reverse current condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Rajeev Vyas, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Mark J. Rychlinski, Markus Demmerle, Varsha K. Sadekar
  • Patent number: 9973028
    Abstract: A charging system for use in providing power for charging a battery. The system includes a first, alternating-current-to-direct-current, stage and a second, direct-current-to-direct-current, stage. The first stage includes a single-phase diode rectifier for rectifying an input alternating-current input voltage, and a power-factor-correcting sub-circuit including a switch. The second stage includes multiple switches. The system further includes a high-frequency capacitor connected between the first stage and the second stage. The system also includes a controller connected to the switches of the first and second stages and configured to control, by way of the switches, timing of boost inductor current passing through the charging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Rashmi Prasad
  • Patent number: 9970618
    Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a composite lens, an optical reflector housing, and a lighting source. The composite lens has a clear lens portion, an opaque lens portion, and a first attachment feature. The optical reflector housing has a second attachment feature engaged with the first attachment feature, and further has a reflective inner surface. The optical reflector housing reflects incident light internally via the reflective inner surface and directs the reflected incident light through the clear portion. The composite lens defines a lighting cavity in conjunction with the optical reflector housing when the first and second attachment features are mutually engaged. The lighting source irradiates the lighting cavity with the incident light. A stacked headlight assembly includes vertically stacked first and second headlight assemblies, each having a composite lens, optical reflector, and lighting source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey T. Zawacki
  • Patent number: 9969453
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a product comprising: a bicycle with an integrated folding system comprising at least a main hinge feature in a frame comprising: a first frame component and a second frame component, wherein the first frame component and the second frame component are pivotally attached to each other; a cable which extends through the frame, wherein a first end of the cable is attached to a steerer tube and a second end is attached to a spring-loaded latch pin; and wherein in an unfolded position the spring-loaded latch pin extends between the first frame component and the second frame component which holds the frame together in the unfolded position, and wherein the spring-loaded latch pin is constructed and arranged so that when the main hinge feature is activated, the cable is lifted upward which pulls the spring-loaded latch pin out of the second frame component so that the frame folds together to a folded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jess R. Bailie, Lawrence G. Cole, Brett Crockett
  • Patent number: 9971352
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes at least one controller. The controller is programmed to receive first sensor readings from a first group of sensors and provide a first vehicle pose based on the first sensor readings. The first vehicle pose includes a first location and a first orientation of the vehicle. The controller is also programmed to receive second sensor readings from a second group of sensors and provide a second vehicle pose based on the second sensor readings. The second vehicle pose includes a second location and a second orientation of the vehicle. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the first vehicle pose being outside a predetermined range of the second vehicle pose, generate a diagnostic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Upali P. Mudalige, Padma Sundaram
  • Patent number: D818157
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Carl J. Zipfel, David Gillespie
  • Patent number: D818160
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Perkins
  • Patent number: D818406
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert B. McMahan, Gary W. Ruiz