Patents Examined by John Kwon
  • Patent number: 11639699
    Abstract: An engine system is provided, which includes a vehicle-mounted engine having an injector, a spark plug, and a property adjusting device, an accelerator opening sensor, and a controller. The controller performs a combustion control for controlling the injector, the spark plug, and the property adjusting device so that a target torque set based on a present accelerator opening detected by the accelerator opening sensor is outputted in a specific cycle in the future from a present time by a given delay time. In the combustion control, the controller sets a target load of the engine in the specific cycle based on the present accelerator opening, and sets a combustion transition from the present cycle to the specific cycle by selecting beforehand combustion from the present cycle to the specific cycle, from flame propagation combustion and compressed self-ignition combustion, based on the set target load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takuma Fujii, Takayuki Hikita, Saori Mizuno, Mitsuhiro Muto
  • Patent number: 11635032
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for governing the speed of a propeller on a propeller-based engine in an aircraft. The method comprises obtaining a synthesized or estimated blade angle for the propeller of the engine, determining one or more gain for a controller of the propeller based on the synthesized or estimated blade angle and one or more engine or aircraft parameter, determining a difference between a reference propeller speed and an actual propeller speed, applying the one or more gain to the difference via the controller in order to generate a command signal for controlling the propeller, and governing the propeller of the engine using the command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Gabriel Meunier
  • Patent number: 11635040
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine is provided, which includes setting, by a controller, a target torque of the engine in a specific cycle in the future by a given delay time from the present time based on a present accelerator opening. The method includes selecting beforehand, by the controller, combustion in the specific cycle according to the target torque, from flame propagation combustion and compressed self-ignition combustion. The method includes outputting, by the controller, a control signal to a property adjusting device before the specific cycle so that a property inside the cylinder in the specific cycle becomes a property corresponding to the selected combustion. The method includes estimating, by the controller, the property at a timing when an intake valve is closed in the specific cycle. The method includes outputting, by the controller, a control signal corresponding to the estimated property to a spark plug or an injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takuma Fujii, Takayuki Hikita, Saori Mizuno, Mitsuhiro Muto
  • Patent number: 11632949
    Abstract: A system to store specimen containers in a temperature controlled environment includes at least a first temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature in a first region of the temperature controlled environment in an interior of the cryogenic storage tank and at least a first level sensor positioned to sense a level of a cryogenic medium within the temperature controlled environment in the interior of the cryogenic storage tank. A method of storing specimen containers in a temperature controlled environment includes monitoring one or more parameters within the temperature controlled environment to prevent exposure of biological samples within the specimen containers to parameters that put the viability of the biological samples at risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TMRW Life Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Gupta, Robert DeSanno, Alan Leroy Murray
  • Patent number: 11635004
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing secondary air to an exhaust system during catalyst warm-up. In one example, a method may include, during a cold start condition, operating an engine with a first number of cylinders unfired and a remaining number of cylinders fired during an engine cycle, opening an intake valve of an unfired cylinder of the first number of cylinders during an expansion stroke of the unfired cylinder, and opening an exhaust valve of the unfired cylinder during a compression stroke of the unfired cylinder. In this way, the unfired cylinders may provide the secondary air to the exhaust system during a stroke that increases mixing of the secondary air with burned exhaust gas from fired cylinders, thus increasing exotherm production in the exhaust system to increase a temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rani Kiwan, Chris Paul Glugla, Brad VanDerWege
  • Patent number: 11629681
    Abstract: A remote vehicle starter system having an antenna that can be flashed to operate in a one-way mode or a two-way mode, such that a user will be permitted a trial period to test the remote starter system in both modes and then the user can select the desired mode by flashing the antenna via link up to a website. The user is charged a price for the remote starter system based on the mode selected by flashing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Automotive Data Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Barassi
  • Patent number: 11629683
    Abstract: Provided is an internal combustion engine control device capable of reducing a measurement load and calculating a flow velocity around an ignition plug. The internal combustion engine control device includes an inter-gap voltage calculation unit 31 and a flow velocity calculation unit 32. The inter-gap voltage calculation unit 31 calculates a reference inter-gap voltage under a reference condition, based on a secondary current and in-cylinder pressure. The flow velocity calculation unit calculates the flow velocity of a gas around the ignition plug based on the reference inter-gap voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Oryoji, Yoshihiko Akagi, Takayasu Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11622504
    Abstract: An agricultural production machine, such as a combine, forage harvester or tractor, is disclosed. The agricultural production machine includes a drive assembly with an internal combustion engine, an electric energy supplying system having an electric auxiliary machine, and a driver assistance system with a control system that is configured to control the internal combustion engine, the electric auxiliary machine, and at least one power consumer that can be driven by the drive assembly. The internal combustion engine operates at the lowest possible rotational speed, with the electric energy supplying system configured to support the internal combustion engine by connecting the electric auxiliary machine at this lowest possible rotational speed when connecting a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Sprigade, Fabian Wohlfahrt, Markus Koch, Philipp Heymann
  • Patent number: 11624344
    Abstract: A fuel supply device is insertable into a fuel tank through an opening formed in an upper wall of the fuel tank in an insertion direction. The fuel supply device includes a flange unit and a pump unit coupled to the flange unit. The pump unit includes a guide member extending in the insertion direction. The guide member is configured to abut on an opening periphery so as to guide the pump unit when the pump unit is inserted into the fuel tank. A guide surface of the guide member includes a concave surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Syuhei Noguchi, Koji Yoshida, Satoshi Ito, Kensuke Niwa
  • Patent number: 11624334
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calculating a plurality of aging factors in a system operating an engine. The calculated aging factors may include one or more of fuel injector drift, exhaust gas recirculation valve obstruction, and mass air flow sensor bias. Mass flow throughout the system, and pressures and temperatures within the system, are observed in an approach that relies on mass preservation concepts to estimate fuel injector drift, exhaust gas recirculation valve obstruction, and mass air flow sensor bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventors: Tomas Poloni, Jaroslav Pekar, Paul Dickinson
  • Patent number: 11624303
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide deceleration fuel cutoff regeneration of a gas particulate filter. A powertrain system includes an exhaust system containing the gas particulate filter, which is configured to collect particulate matter from an exhaust gas stream of the powertrain system. A temperature sensor is configured to monitor a temperature of the gas particulate filter. A loading monitor, such as a sensor and/or a model, is configured to provide a loading input of particulate loading of the gas particulate filter. At least one controller is configured to: determine, by comparing the loading input to stored values, whether the gas particulate filter requires the regeneration; effect a warmup of the gas particulate filter when the determination shows the gas particulate filter requires the regeneration; and initiate the regeneration when a value received from the temperature sensor meets a minimum threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Wendling, Shubham Gupta
  • Patent number: 11624332
    Abstract: New and/or alternative approaches to engine performance control that can account for the need to robustly monitor performance and/or operation of the physical plant and actuators thereof, while avoiding or limiting performance degradation. Model predictive control (MPC) or other control configuration such as proportional-integral-derivative control may be used to control the system by identifying a performance optimized control solution. In some examples, a modification to the performance optimized solution analysis is made to weight control solutions in favor of robust monitoring conditions. In other examples, the performance optimized solution is post-processed and modified to favor robust monitoring conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventors: Matej P{hacek over (c)}olka, David Hriadel, Martin Procházka
  • Patent number: 11619179
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine that includes two throttles that are arranged in parallel to deliver air into a single intake manifold are described. In one example, a first throttle and a second throttle are opened according to a value of a variable that changes as a function of a requested engine air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rohit Bhat, Rob Ciarrocchi, Adam J. Richards, Conner Cecott
  • Patent number: 11614041
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for controlling an internal combustion engine system including an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve and a variable-geometry turbocharger (VGT) having a compressor and a turbine includes receiving a plurality of requests for the internal combustion engine system. The method also includes predicting a plurality of expected states of the internal combustion engine system based on the plurality of requests and generating sets of candidate control points for actuating the EGR valve and the VGT based on the plurality of expected states. The method further includes selecting a set of candidate control points that avoids a surge condition of the compressor and based on the selected set of candidate control points, generating commands for actuating the EGR valve and the VGT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Weiss, Adam Zuk, Ryan C. Eveler, Timothy A. Bazyn, Sylvain J. Charbonnel
  • Patent number: 11614055
    Abstract: An isolation valve includes: a housing including a first passage and a second passage; a main valve assembly including a valve disposed in the housing such that a fluid flow between the first passage and the second passage is blocked; a locking assembly disposed in the housing, and including a release element configured to open the valve and a locking element configured to close the valve; and a bobbin assembly configured to be disposed in the housing and to operate the locking assembly, and including a coil; a core disposed inside the coil and including a space therein, the space including a closed end and an opened end; and a plunger configured to move in the space by an electromagnetic force generated by the coil and to contact the locking assembly on the opened end side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bu Yeol Ryu, Hyun Do Jeon, Tac Koon Kim
  • Patent number: 11613338
    Abstract: A first method of protecting an engine and a transmission of a marine vessel during gear shifts and a second method of programming one or more Shift Protection Sequences (SPS) are disclosed. The first method includes receiving a Shift Request (SR) and activating a SPS from among a plurality of enabled SPS. The second method includes configuring a Shift Protection Type (SPT); enabling and configuring a plurality of required and SPS variables; and, optionally, enabling and configuring a plurality of optional SPS variables. The SPT may be a Basic Shift Protection (BSP), which includes time-based SPS; or the SPT may be an Advanced Shift Protection (ASP), which includes alternate time-based and operating-variable based SPS. The SPS of the ASP may be incrementally programmed and added to the BSP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Merritt P. Callaghan, Cameron S. Gandy, Brian P. Neathery
  • Patent number: 11603806
    Abstract: Sensor delivering detection information in the form of a variation of a current, including a sensitive portion adapted to detecting the passage of a mobile target, an electronic module able to control and shape signals coming from the sensitive portion, an embedded intelligence module adapted, inter alia, to receive information from an electronic computer and to process and generate information intended for the electronic computer, characterized in that the sensor includes a random-number generation module able to generate a random number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Jacques Rocher, Yannick Leroy, Benjamin Marconato
  • Patent number: 11603808
    Abstract: An engine management system and method may include a control system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine may be a direct-injection engine using a Sonex Controlled Auto-Ignition (“SCAI”) combustion path. The control system and method may utilize fuel injection pressure, timing of start and end of injection, management of turbo airflow, fuel supplied, and other factors to provide reduced emissions and improved performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONEX RESEARCH, INC
    Inventor: Andrew Pouring
  • Patent number: 11598274
    Abstract: An engine intake system includes: a port partition disposed to divide an intake port of a cylinder head into an upper portion and a lower portion; a first intake manifold configured to supply air, which flows from an air cleaner through a charger and an intercooler, to one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the port partition; a second intake manifold configured to supply the air, which flows from the air cleaner while bypassing the charger and the intercooler, to the other of the upper portion and the lower portion of the port partition; and a bypass valve disposed and configured to pass and block the air flowing into the second intake manifold from the air cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Il Suk Yang
  • Patent number: 11598282
    Abstract: An optimum engine configuration is determined, based on a predicted required power, for a seafaring vessel having a plurality of thrust engines. The predicted required power is determined by inputting vessel operational data, environmental data, and voyage data to a required power model. At least some of the vessel operational data and environmental data is received from a plurality of sensors positioned onboard the vessel. The optimum engine configuration is selected from a plurality of candidate engine configurations. Each candidate engine configuration includes a specified number of thrust engines running and a specified power output level of each thrust engine. The optimum engine configuration is selected based on a candidate total predicted fuel consumption of each candidate engine configuration. The candidate total predicted fuel consumption amount is determined as a sum of the engine-specific predicted fuel consumptions determined for each running thrust engine of that candidate engine configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Atlantic Towing Limited
    Inventor: Andrew William Josselyn