Patents Assigned to GM
  • Publication number: 20240034330
    Abstract: A system for obtaining vehicle status data includes a location sensor configured to obtain location data for one or more connected devices in or around the vehicle. The vehicle has a plurality of seats, including at least one seat without an occupant sensor. The location data is obtained based at least partially on radiofrequency waves. A command unit is adapted to receive the location data. The command unit has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The command unit is adapted to obtain the vehicle status data in real time based in part on the location data of the one or more connected devices, the vehicle status data including a total number of occupants in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Eric T. Hosey, Matthew E. Gilbert-Eyres, Matthew Neely, Russell A. Patenaude
  • Publication number: 20240034280
    Abstract: Fluid cleaning systems for cleaning AV sensors are disclosed herein. An example fluid cleaning system includes a reservoir storing a fluid. The fluid can flow from the reservoir to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger can transfer heat generated by a part of the AV to the fluid, thereby improving cleaning efficacy. The part may be battery, motor, engine, sensor (e.g., the sensor to be cleaned with the fluid or another sensor), etc. The heat may be an unintended product of an operation of the part. The heat exchanger can use the heat to warm up the fluid and cool down the part. Additionally or alternatively, the fluid can be heated by another heat exchanger or a heater. The heater can generate heat intended for heating the fluid. The heater may be local to the sensor to be cleaned, e.g., the heater is closer to the sensor than the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Nathaniel Barrett Herse, Devin Cass, Michael Yagoda Shagam, Isaac Brown, Wesley Newhouse, Kevin Morris Sheppard
  • Publication number: 20240033844
    Abstract: Welding electrodes, methods, and vehicles are provided. The welding electrodes include a body that includes a weld face on a distal end of the body configured to contact a workpiece and apply an electrical current thereto. The body has a maximum diameter of 13 millimeters or less. The welding electrode includes an insulative material covering at least a portion of the body, the insulative material configured to mitigate current shunting upon contact between the insulative material and a workpiece of a workpiece stack-up while using the welding electrode to resistance weld the workpiece stack-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Zhenke Teng, John A. Gerke, Pei-chung Wang, Robert W. Watson, Russell A. Webster, Jason M. Brown
  • Publication number: 20240033816
    Abstract: A die casting mold may be made of an iron alloy including, by mass: about 1% to about 6% nickel, about 0.1% to about 5% copper, about 0.2% to about 2.5% aluminum, about 0.5% to about 2% manganese, and about 0.05% to about 0.2% carbon. The iron alloy may be formed into an initial shape of the die casting mold, heated to a temperature greater than or equal to about 900° C. and then cooled to form a supersaturated solid solution of iron and dissolved alloying elements. Then, the iron alloy may be heated at a temperature sufficient to precipitate intermetallic nanoparticles from the supersaturated solid solution to form an intermetallic precipitate phase dispersed throughout an iron-based matrix phase. A layer of iron alloy material disposed at and along a surface of the iron alloy may exhibit a deformed microstructure indicative of a machining direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Zhou WANG, Hongliang YI, Jianfeng WANG, Lianqian LIU
  • Patent number: 11885253
    Abstract: A method of controlling light-off of a catalytic converter in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine (ICE) includes identifying a start of the ICE requiring a light-off of the catalytic converter. The method also includes regulating an exhaust-flow control valve to increase exhaust gas backpressure in the exhaust system in response to the identified start of the ICE. The method additionally includes regulating combustion inside the ICE to increase enthalpy of the ICE. The method also includes detecting light-off of the catalytic converter. The method additionally includes regulating the exhaust-flow control valve to decrease the exhaust gas backpressure in the exhaust system in response to the catalytic converter light-off. Furthermore, the method includes regulating combustion inside the ICE to decrease ICE enthalpy in response to the catalytic converter light-off. The method may be embodied in an algorithm programmed in an electronic controller of a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Andrew A. Raftopoulos, Pratap S. Murthy, Vijay A. Ramappan
  • Patent number: 11884233
    Abstract: A method for controlling a passenger restraint system aboard a motor vehicle includes receiving, via a controller, biometric vulnerability classifier signal(s) indicative of vulnerability characteristics of a passenger seated in an interior of the motor vehicle. In response to the biometric vulnerability classifier signal(s) and a detected vehicle event requiring an actuation of the passenger restraint system, the method includes automatically adjusting an actual capacity setting of the passenger restraint system via the controller. A motor vehicle includes a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior, a passenger restraint system positioned in the vehicle interior; and a controller operable for controlling the actual capacity setting of the passenger restraint system in accordance with the method. The passenger restraint system may include a seatbelt, a seat, and one or more airbag systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Lisa M. Furton, Scott D. Thomas, Dorel M. Sala, George D. Allen, Sean T. Coughlin
  • Patent number: 11888190
    Abstract: A distribution method and system for a plurality of fuel cell systems (FCSs) configured to provide electrical energy. The distribution being configured for determining a demand of a load for the electrical energy and correspondingly implementing a powering operation. The powering operation executing a startup operation according to a startup order specified for one or more secondary FCSs of the FCSs. The powering operation including individually performing the startup operations for each of the secondary FCSs according to the startup order, and while each of the second FCSs are performing the startup operation, controlling another one or more of the FCSs to mask a power variance associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Matthew C. Kirklin, Alan B. Martin, Biju Edamana
  • Patent number: 11884288
    Abstract: A method for classifying a weight of a vehicle includes determining a system enablement state of the vehicle load detection and classification system, monitoring a vehicle weight, determining a change in the vehicle weight, comparing the change in the vehicle weight to a first predefined weight change threshold, and categorizing the change in the vehicle weight in response to determining that the change in the vehicle weight exceeds the first predefined weight change threshold. The method also includes determining if a weight has been left in the vehicle after key-off and determining if a weight has been placed in a cargo compartment of the vehicle which exceeds the weight rating of the cargo compartment. The method also includes optimizing a route to a destination based at least on the change in the vehicle weight and displaying the optimized route to the destination using a human machine interface of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dhruv Patel, Joseph F. Szczerba, Abbas Mohammed, Kevin William Rypstra
  • Patent number: 11887200
    Abstract: A method for generating a user profile and system including a controller configured to execute instructions to execute the method. The method including determining by a user of a first vehicle that an interactive maneuver is needed to provide a resource, identifying a second vehicle to interact with, contacting a user of the second vehicle, requesting the user of the second vehicle to perform the interactive maneuver, receiving a response from the user of the second vehicle, and generating a user profile for the user of the second vehicle based on the performance of providing the resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Vivek Vijaya Kumar, Upali P. Mudalige, Syed Bilal Mehdi
  • Patent number: 11886862
    Abstract: A system includes a source vehicle and a destination vehicle. The destination vehicle is configured to determine that the source vehicle and the destination vehicle are suitably close to exchange data through a wireless communications channel, compare current version numbers in the destination vehicle with approved version numbers in the source vehicle, approve an update for one or more current software components in the destination vehicle in response to one or more criteria, receive one or more approved software components at the destination vehicle from the source vehicle via the wireless communications channel in response to the current version numbers of the current software components approved for the update being different from corresponding ones of approved version numbers of the approved software components, and update the one or more current software components in the destination vehicle with the one or more approved software components received from the source vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Anthony J. Sumcad, Russell A. Patenaude, Christopher L Oesterling
  • Patent number: 11886184
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle receives geographic location data defined via a mobile computing device operated by a user. The geographic location data is indicative of a device position of the mobile computing device. The autonomous vehicle also receives image data generated by the mobile computing device. The image data is indicative of a surrounding position nearby the device position. The surrounding position is selected from an image captured by a camera of the mobile computing device. A requested vehicle position (e.g., a pick-up or drop-off location) is set for a trip of the user in the autonomous vehicle based on the geographic location data and the image data. A route from a current vehicle position of the autonomous vehicle to the requested vehicle position for the trip of the user in the autonomous vehicle is generated. Moreover, the autonomous vehicle can follow the route to the requested vehicle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Stephanie Olivia Engle, Bradley David Ryan, Cade Thurlby, Mariya Jacobo
  • Patent number: 11885854
    Abstract: A tester for testing an electrical component. The tester includes a database of testing specifications for electrical components, a tester connector for physically and electrically connecting to different electrical components, and an output device. The tester identifies an electrical component connected to the tester connector and provide corresponding identification data, retrieves a testing specification from the database using the identification data, commands a test of the electrical component according to the testing specification, and outputs an indication of a result of the test through the output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael H. Shaffer, Gustavo Sanchez Taccone, Aaron Cullen, Ronan Conneely, Stonewall Jackson Craig, III, Jimmy D Hart, Charles Wallace Thompson
  • Patent number: 11885250
    Abstract: Vehicle systems and methods are provided for preheating an aftertreatment system prior to engine ignition. A method involves obtaining a first measurement indicative of a current temperature associated with the aftertreatment system, obtaining a second measurement indicative of a current state of an energy source coupled to a heating element integrated with the aftertreatment system, determining an amount of electrical energy to be applied to the heating element based at least in part on a difference between the current temperature associated with the aftertreatment system and a target temperature for the aftertreatment system, and automatically enabling current flow from the energy source to the heating element prior to ignition of the engine for a duration of time in a manner that is influenced by the amount of electrical energy to be applied to the heating element and the current state of the energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Vijay A. Ramappan, Rafat F. Hattar
  • Patent number: 11887272
    Abstract: A spatial monitoring system employs a partial dimension iterative closest point analysis to provide improved accuracy for point cloud registration. The partial dimension iterative closest point analysis improves registration accuracy by performing optimization in accordance with an error magnitude of each dimension, wherein dimensions having large initial errors are significantly improved, and dimensions having high initial accuracy are further improved. The registration separately optimizes each dimension using surfaces with contributing information for the optimized dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Oren Longman, Noam Zac
  • Publication number: 20240030514
    Abstract: An electrochemical battery cell includes a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, a plurality of layers interleaved between and stacked in an electrode stack along a central stack axis with the first and second electrodes, a first current collector, and a second current collector. The second current collector includes an elongated cylinder and a fluidic coupler, the second current collector extends axially through the central stack cavity, and the second current collector includes a flow channel extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Taylor R. Garrick, Michael A. Lelli
  • Publication number: 20240029077
    Abstract: There is disclosed herein a method of providing customer service, including receiving a customer service request from an autonomous vehicle (AV), the customer service request comprising sensor data collected by the AV; selecting a standard operating procedure (SOP) for responding to the customer service request, the SOP selected from a data store comprising a plurality of SOPs, wherein selecting the SOP is based at least in part on the sensor data from the AV, and wherein the SOP includes a human-usable resolution script; and handling the customer service request, including displaying the human-usable resolution script to a human customer service agent to assist the human customer service agent in handling the customer service request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Warren, MinJie Tong, Theresa Foy, Ashley Sams, Soleil Phan, Leah Meyerholtz, David J. Shuckerow, Daniel Paul Thengvall, Qingxuan Li, Steven Sturkop
  • Patent number: D1012796
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Gary W. Ruiz
  • Patent number: D1012799
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Jinho Seo
  • Patent number: D1012802
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gapdong Choi, Hojun Choi
  • Patent number: D1012803
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gapdong Choi, Hojun Choi