Patents Assigned to Tula Technology, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20240191667
    Abstract: A system includes an exhaust aftertreatment system including a particulate filter and a controller. The controller is configured to: receive information comprising a temperature regarding a filter of the aftertreatment system; and responsive to determining that the temperature regarding the filter is below a temperature threshold, command the engine to operate according to a first firing fraction. The first firing fraction may define a number of active cylinders of the engine relative to a total number of cylinders of the engine, and correspond to a predetermined temperature value of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2024
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Applicants: Cummins, Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, David Langenderfer, David Schmidt, Vijay Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20240183290
    Abstract: Systems and methods to extend a life of a component of a cylinder deactivation system are provided. A method includes initiating, by a controller, a CDA mode for an engine; determining, by the controller, a first cycle count for a first oil control solenoid of the CDA system; determining, by the controller, a second cycle count for a second oil control solenoid of the CDA system; comparing, by the controller, the first cycle count and the second cycle count; and modifying, by the controller, operation of the CDA mode for the engine based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2024
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicants: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Frazier, J. Steven Kolhouse, Steven J. Small, Louis Joseph Serrano
  • Publication number: 20240159196
    Abstract: A system includes a controller having at least one processing circuit including at least one memory coupled to at least one processor. The controller is configured to: receive data regarding operation of an engine indicating that one or more cylinders of a plurality of cylinders of the engine is compromised; cause the engine to operate in a modified engine operating mode whereby operation of the one or more cylinders that is compromised is modified; cause the engine to operate in a non-modified engine operating mode whereby operation of the one or more cylinders that is compromised is not modified responsive to receiving information regarding a predetermined condition despite the data regarding operation of the engine indicating that the one or more cylinders of the plurality of cylinders of the engine is compromised.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Applicants: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron William Beinborn, J. Steven Kolhouse, David J. Langenderfer, David Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20240141845
    Abstract: Systems and methods for aftertreatment system thermal management using cylinder deactivation and/or intake-air throttling are disclosed. Systems and methods for thermal management of an aftertreatment system are provided herein. A controller coupled to an engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system is configured to: receive a first temperature value associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system and a second temperature value associated with the engine; determine, based on comparing the first temperature value to a first threshold, a thermal management mode including a first thermal management mode or a second thermal management mode; determine, responsive to determining the thermal management mode and based on comparing the second temperature value to a second threshold, an operating mode for the thermal management mode including at least one of a first operating mode or a second operating mode; and initiate the at least one of the first or the second operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunpeng Wang, Ke Wang, Yuan Zoe, Zhou Cao
  • Patent number: 11959432
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine is provided. An exhaust valve actuation fault is detected for a first exhaust valve associated with a first cylinder during a first working cycle. In response to the detection of the exhaust valve actuation fault, fueling to at least the first cylinder is cut off. Actuation of the first exhaust valve is attempted in second working cycles that follow the first working cycle, wherein the second working cycles are not fueled. Whether or not the first exhaust valve actuated properly during the second working cycles is determined. Operation of the first cylinder is resumed when it is determined that the first exhaust valve actuated properly. Operation of the first cylinder is not resumed when it is determined that the first exhaust valve did not actuate properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Wang, Louis J. Serrano, Shikui Kevin Chen
  • Patent number: 11946423
    Abstract: A variety of methods and arrangements are described for managing recharging of cylinders of an internal combustion engine during skip fire operation of the engine. In one method, a maximum allowed deactivation time for a cylinder is determined and the cylinder is recharged before the maximum allowed deactivation time is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Joe Serrano, Xiaoping Cai, Yongyan Cao, Vijay Srinivasan, Kevin Shikui Chen, Andrea Marie Evans, Avra Brahma
  • Patent number: 11933237
    Abstract: A system includes an exhaust aftertreatment system including a particulate filter and a controller. The controller is configured to: receive a particulate filter regeneration event trigger; receive information, the information comprising a temperature regarding the particulate filter; determine the temperature regarding the particulate filter is below a temperature threshold associated with a particulate filter regeneration event; and responsive to determining the temperature regarding the particulate filter is below the temperature threshold, command the engine to operate in a cylinder deactivation mode, whereby at least one cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the engine is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, David Langenderfer, David Schmidt, Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11933202
    Abstract: Systems and methods to extend a life of a component of a cylinder deactivation system are provided. A method includes generating, by a controller, an initial life factor for the component; initiating, by the controller, a CDA mode for an engine; determining, by the controller, an actual life factor for the component, the actual life factor determined by comparing a number of switching events of a cylinder in the CDA mode to a number of cycles of the cylinder in the CDA mode; comparing, by the controller, the actual life factor to the initial life factor; and modifying, by the controller based on the comparison, operation of the engine in the CDA mode to adjust the actual life factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Frazier, J. Steven Kolhouse, Steven J. Small, Louis Joseph Serrano
  • Patent number: 11920533
    Abstract: A system includes an aftertreatment system heater of an exhaust aftertreatment system coupled to an engine A controller coupled to the aftertreatment system heater is configured to determine a condition of an exhaust gas from an engine and compare the condition to a predefined threshold. If the condition of the exhaust gas does not meet the predefined threshold, the controller is configured to determine whether an engine operating condition is met for activating a cylinder deactivation operating mode for the engine. If the engine operating condition is met, the controller is configured to operate the engine in the cylinder deactivation operating mode by deactivating a cylinder of a plurality of cylinders. If the engine operating condition is not met, the controller is configured to activate the aftertreatment system heater to heat the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Kay Light-Holets, J. Steven Kolhouse, Christopher R. Nelson, Anant Puri, Xiaobo Song, Avra Brahma
  • Publication number: 20240026833
    Abstract: A method of controlling a fixed cylinder deactivation (CDA) system of an engine system is provided. The method includes: deactivating, by a controller, a cylinder of the engine system to operate the engine system in a fixed CDA mode; determining, by the controller, a temperature of an injector tip nozzle associated with the cylinder; comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the injector tip nozzle to a threshold temperature; and in response to determining that the temperature of the injector tip nozzle is greater than the threshold temperature, activating, by the controller, the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicants: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Ross A. Phillips
  • Patent number: 11859569
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating exhaust gas emissions via cylinder deactivation are provided. A system includes a controller coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric motive device. The controller includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to: receive a power request less than a current power output from the internal combustion engine; command the electric motive device to provide a supplemental power output based on the received power request; command the internal combustion engine to operate in a cylinder deactivation mode whereby at least one cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the internal combustion engine is deactivated; responsive to determining that a power output of the internal combustion engine is substantially equivalent to the power request after commanding the internal combustion engine to operate in the cylinder deactivation mode, deactivate the electric motive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Avra Brahma
  • Patent number: 11859567
    Abstract: A method of controlling a skip-fire cylinder deactivation system of an engine system is provided. The method includes a controller deactivating a cylinder of the engine system to operate the engine system in a skip-fire mode. The method further includes determining a temperature of an injector tip nozzle associated with the cylinder and comparing the temperature of the injector tip nozzle to a threshold a temperature. In response to determining that the temperature of the injector tip nozzle is greater than the threshold temperature, the cylinder is activated by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Ross A. Phillips
  • Publication number: 20230407804
    Abstract: A system includes an exhaust aftertreatment system including a particulate filter and a controller. The controller is configured to: receive a particulate filter regeneration event trigger; receive information, the information comprising a temperature regarding the particulate filter; determine the temperature regarding the particulate filter is below a temperature threshold associated with a particulate filter regeneration event; and responsive to determining the temperature regarding the particulate filter is below the temperature threshold, command the engine to operate in a cylinder deactivation mode, whereby at least one cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the engine is deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicants: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, David Langenderfer, David Schmidt, Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11835004
    Abstract: A variety of methods and arrangements are described for determining a pilot injection mass during skip fire operation of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Wolk, Justin Lee, Timothy Hayden Shipp
  • Patent number: 11821379
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an ICE by (a) generating a running history of one or more-cylinder events per cylinder, and (b) using the running history to select a least-used non-rotating firing pattern, among a plurality of non-rotating firing patterns, provided for each firing fraction less than one (1). By making the least used selection based on the running history, unequal usage among cylinders of the ICE can be mitigated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis J. Serrano, Xin Yuan, Shikui Kevin Chen, Xi Luo, Robert C. Wang, Xiaoping Cai, Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11802519
    Abstract: Systems and methods for bypassing a compromised engine cylinder via cylinder deactivation are described according to various embodiments herein. A system includes an engine coupled to a controller. The controller includes at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to: determine that one or more cylinders of a plurality of cylinders of the engine is compromised based on data regarding operation of the engine; and cause the engine to operate in the modified engine operating mode whereby operation of the one or more cylinders that are compromised is modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron William Beinborn, J. Steven Kolhouse, David J. Langenderfer, David Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11761395
    Abstract: A variety of methods and arrangements are described for managing transitions between operational states of an internal combustion engine during skip fire operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11724594
    Abstract: Engine controllers and control schemes that facilitate skip fire engine operation in conjunction with use power take-off devices are described. In one aspect, a skip fire mode is exited when the power take-off unit is engaged and the current torque request exceeds a torque threshold. In some embodiments, the exit is delayed when the temperature of an after treatment system is below a designated temperature threshold. In another aspect, the engine transitions to the skip fire mode when the power take-off unit disengages. In some embodiments, exiting is conditioned on the current torque request being less than a torque threshold. In some embodiments, the transition is made immediately, whereas in others the transition only occurs when the power take-off unit is not reengaged for a period of time or is further conditioned on determining that the power take-off unit is likely to remain disengaged for the period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignees: Tula Technology, Inc., Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Lisa A. Orth-Farrell, Steven E. Carlson, Aaron W. Beinborn
  • Patent number: 11719175
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating an engine controller in a vehicle for managing motor torque smoothing. One controller is configured to select a periodic disruptive waveform generated over a period of time to approximate that is associated with the vehicle being at idle, determine a first harmonic sinusoid from a group of harmonic sinusoids that reduces the error between an approximated waveform and the disruptive waveform, and initiate a supplemental quantity of torque during the period of time based on the disruption quantity of torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Joseph Serrano, Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11713728
    Abstract: A variety of methods and arrangements are described for determining a pilot injection mass during skip fire operation of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Wolk, Justin Lee, Timothy Hayden Shipp