Patents Examined by John Kwon
  • Patent number: 11408378
    Abstract: An evaporated fuel processing device may include a flow passage through which evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank flows; a first adsorbent constituted of activated carbon and arranged in the flow passage for adsorbing the evaporated fuel flowing in the flow passage; and a second adsorbent constituted of a porous metal complex and arranged in the flow passage on a downstream side of the first adsorbent for adsorbing the evaporated fuel having passed through the first adsorbent and flowing in the flow passage on the downstream side of the first adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanobu Shinagawa, Hiroaki Kitanaga, Rina Kondo
  • Patent number: 11408364
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for regulating the output voltage of a DC-to-DC voltage converter of a motor vehicle engine control computer. The method includes a step of the microcontroller simultaneously controlling a control module, so that the control module drives at least one injector of the vehicle engine, and a converter, so that the converter generates its own output voltage by setting the strength of the drive current to its maximum in what is called a “forced” mode corresponding to a step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Stéphane Saint-Macary
  • Patent number: 11396857
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle having a user interface and a computing system that is in communication with the user interface. The computing system may have at least one processor and at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions. When executed by the at least one processor, the instructions may cause the at least one processor to output information through the user interface to inform the passenger of an action that the passenger needs to enact prior to the autonomous vehicle beginning to move and determine, based upon an occurrence of the action that the passenger needs to enact, whether the autonomous vehicle is permitted to begin moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Jacqueline Shannon, Stephanie Olivia Engle, Albert Boniske
  • Patent number: 11391225
    Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle having a gasoline engine includes determining a density of a gasoline to be combusted in the gasoline engine, determining a stoichiometric air demand, determining a critical temperature from the density of the gasoline to be combusted and the stoichiometric air demand, and adapting countermeasures to prevent vapor bubbles based on the determined critical temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Holzinger, Matthias Mersch, Thomas Scheuer
  • Patent number: 11384722
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes two lateral mounting bush. A knock sensor which delivers data representative of the operation of a fuel injector is integrally overmoulded in one of the mounting bush. The knock sensor includes a piezoelectric member arranged between a base member and a seismic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventor: Divjot Singh
  • Patent number: 11384639
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for methods and devices that relate to a drive mechanism, and a power mechanism that can be used 5 individually or together in an engine to obtain increased efficiency are provided according to the teachings herein. The embodiments described herein generally employ at least one of drive mechanisms that provide for non-sinusoidal motion and embedded piston arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: University of Ontario Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Brendan David MacDonald, Matthew Lester Murray Dudman, Salvatore Ranieri
  • Patent number: 11384707
    Abstract: A method for sensing damage to a bearing of an engine using a vibration signal may sense the damage to the bearing even without a sensor for directly sensing the damage to the bearing using a frequency signal input to a knocking sensor from the engine for each traveling state (acceleration traveling, cruise traveling, deceleration traveling) of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hong-Wook Lee, Byng-Mo Jeon, Sang-Hyuk Mun, Hyung-Mook Yoon, Young-Joon Park, Jun-Ho Park, Sung-Nam Baek, Pan-Sang Kim, Je-Ha Son
  • Patent number: 11371460
    Abstract: A control method of a fuel injection system is provided. The method includes receiving a set value for a target pressure in an injection rail that provides fuel to the engine and receiving an output demand representing a target amount of fuel to be injected from the injection rail per engine cycle. A control mode signal is received and an actual pressure in the injection rail is measured. A control mode is selected based on the control mode signal. A fuel pump flow demand for a fuel pump connected to the injection rail is determined based on a difference between the set value for the target pressure and the actual pressure, based on the output demand, and based on the selected control mode. The fuel pump is then operated according to the fuel pump flow demand and based on the selected control mode to provide fuel to the injection rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan Revidat, David Martinez Nunez
  • Patent number: 11371446
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an engine cylinder in an internal combustion engine includes, for each engine cycle, detection of the ionisation current generated in the cylinder in a predetermined time interval of a combustion cycle, generation of a signal representing the ionisation current and comparing a maximum value of the signal with a threshold value. Successively, the value of one or more parameters associated with the signal can be changed with respect to an equal number of corresponding reference values when the maximum value of the signal exceeds the threshold value, to reduce the maximum value of the signal in the time interval of a successive combustion cycle. The presence of water in the cylinder can be determined when the maximum value of the signal exceeds the threshold value for a predetermined first number of combustion cycles occurring within a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: ELDOR CORPORATION S.P.A., FPT INDUSTRIAL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Francesco Sanarico, Pasquale Forte, Alberto Grimaldi, Roberto Pittatore
  • Patent number: 11365698
    Abstract: A method for controlling and regulating an internal combustion engine with exhaust gas recirculation, in which an EGR rate is determined by a Kaiman filter from calculated and measured variables of the gas path and from calculated and measured variables of combustion. A method for the model-based control and regulation of an internal combustion engine includes calculating injection system set values for controlling the injection system actuators as a function of a set torque by a combustion model. Gas path set values for controlling the gas path actuators are calculated as a function of an EGR rate by a gas path model. A measure of quality is calculated by an optimizer as a function of the injection system and gas path set values. The measure of quality is minimized by the optimizer by changing the injection system and gas path set values within a prediction horizon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Buchholz, Knut Graichen, Karsten Harder, Jens Niemeyer
  • Patent number: 11359556
    Abstract: A misfire detection device includes processing circuitry configured to execute a stopping process stopping combustion control of an air-fuel mixture in one or more cylinders and a determination process determining whether a misfire has occurred based on a value of a determination subject rotation fluctuation amount, that is, a rotation fluctuation amount of a determination subject cylinder for misfire. A comparison subject rotation fluctuation amount is a rotation fluctuation amount corresponding to a crank angle separated by a predetermined angular interval from a crank angle corresponding to the determination subject rotation fluctuation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 11359568
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel system. In one example, a method includes comparing a resistance of a solenoid coil of a direct injector to a threshold resistance. The method further includes selecting one of a transient or a steady-state pressure-based injector balancing (PBIB) model in response to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Oshinsky, Mark Skilling, Ross Pursifull, Michael Uhrich, Joseph Lyle Thomas
  • Patent number: 11359557
    Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine includes receiving a request for a desired output from the internal combustion engine, receiving sensor information indicative of at least an engine speed or a pressure of gas provided to the internal combustion engine, and setting a changeable limit associated with a supply of air and fuel to the internal combustion engine. The method also includes, based at least in part on the received sensor information, changing the changeable limit to define a changed limit and reducing an output of the internal combustion engine based on the changed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Karthik Jayasankaran, Joshua T. Annin, Christopher F. Gallmeyer, Alex M. Kubiak, Kamalakannan Thammireddi Vajram
  • Patent number: 11359591
    Abstract: A pulley assembly for a starter device for starting an internal combustion engine of a hand-guided power tool has a pulley with an axis of rotation extending in axial direction. A circumferential side of the pulley is positioned outwardly in radial direction relative to the axis of rotation. A circumferential recess is arranged at the circumferential side and accommodates a starter rope. The pulley is provided with a spring receptacle. A connecting spring is disposed in the spring receptacle and has a first end fixedly connected to the pulley. The spring receptacle and the recess overlap each other, viewed in the axial direction and viewed in the radial direction. A starter device is provided with the pulley assembly and a second end of the connecting spring is fixedly connected to a coupling device of the starter device that couples the pulley to the crankshaft of the combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Nefzger, Carel Karrar
  • Patent number: 11352118
    Abstract: A method for controlling propulsion of at least two marine drives on a marine vessel includes monitoring an engine output indicator for each of the at least two marine drives on the marine vessel and detecting whether the engine output indicator for a subset of those at least two marine drives is below an expected value. If so, then an output restriction is imposed on at least one remaining marine drive not in the subset of marine drives, wherein the output restriction reduces an engine output of the at least one remaining marine drive to a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Dengel, Mark R. Hanson, Peter C. Schneider
  • Patent number: 11352973
    Abstract: Operating a machine system includes triggering, based on activation of an on-board electronic control system, interrogation of electronically controlled components installed in a machine to read a plurality of electronic trim files each resident on a different one of the electronically controlled components. A data structure on an electronic storage medium in the control system is populated with the electronic trim files each time the control system is activated, such as by turning on an ignition switch. Operating the machine system also includes outputting control signals based on the electronic trim files to run the machine system based on operation of the electronically controlled components responsive to the outputted control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Lehman, Vincent Neyens, Scott Shafer, Andrew Marrack
  • Patent number: 11352974
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for accounting for a difference between an expected amount of fuel scheduled to be delivered and an actual amount of fuel delivered to an engine cylinder during a fueling event. In one example, a method may include scheduling a direct injection to a cylinder based on an estimated expected amount of fuel injected to the cylinder during an immediately previous injection event. The expected amount of fuel injected during the immediately previous injection event may be a function of an average fuel rail pressure during the immediately previous injection event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Pursifull, Paul Hollar, David Oshinsky
  • Patent number: 11339736
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve driving device includes: a maximum detection unit configured to detect a maximum point when time-series data of a differential value of a counter electromotive voltage generated in a solenoid has changed from an increase to a decrease by retrospectively tracing the time-series data in an opposite direction of a time series; and a valve closing time detection unit configured to execute a determination process of retrospectively tracing the time-series data from the maximum point detected by the maximum detection unit in the opposite direction and scanning whether or not an amount of decrease in the differential value from the maximum point exceeds a predetermined threshold value and detect a maximum time, which is a time of the maximum point, as a valve closing time of a fuel injection valve when there is an event in which the amount of decrease exceeds the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaya Kimura, Kyohei Matsumoto, Ryo Sasaki, Takuya Ikemoto, Daichi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 11339735
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards free-piston combustion engines. As described herein, a method and system are provided for displacing a free-piston assembly to achieve a desired engine performance by repeatedly determining position-force trajectories over the course of a propagation path and effecting the displacement of the free-piston assembly based, at least in part, on the position-force trajectory. In a dual-piston assembly free-piston engine, synchronization of the two piston assemblies is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Mainspring Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Roelle, Christopher Gadda
  • Patent number: 11339739
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus including a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform determining whether a start of the internal combustion engine is complete, determining whether a warm-up of an exhaust catalyst device is needed, acquiring an information on a temperature inside a cylinder, switching an injection mode, and controlling the fuel injector to inject the fuel in accordance with the injection mode, the switching including switching the injection mode to the first injection mode when the start of the internal combustion engine is complete and the warm-up of the exhaust catalyst device is needed, and switching the injection mode to the second injection mode or the third injection mode in accordance with the information on the temperature when the start of the internal combustion engine is complete and the warm-up of the exhaust catalyst device is not needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Hironobu, Ryuichi Hata, Daiki Yamazaki, Masatoshi Nakajima, Nobuaki Ito