Patents Examined by Mark L Greene
  • Patent number: 11958413
    Abstract: A foreign object detecting system and a method are provided. A control circuit controls a light transmitter and a light receiver. The light transmitter is disposed adjacent to a detected object and emits a light signal toward the detected object. The light receiver is disposed adjacent to the detected object in a path along which the light signal reflected by the detected object travels. The light receiver receives the light signal reflected to the light receiver. In a pre-operation, the control circuit defines the light signal received by the light receiver when the foreign object is not on the detected object as a first reflected light signal. In a detection operation, the control circuit determines that a difference exists between the light signal currently received by the light receiver and the first reflected light signal, the control circuit determines that the foreign object is on the detected object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yi-Chuan Lu, Chih-Heng Su
  • Patent number: 11959444
    Abstract: A boot includes an annular body that defines a thru-bore with a thru-bore diameter, and a bore axis. The boot further defines an overall axial length, an exterior, a first axial end, a second axial end, and an aperture that radially extends from the thru-bore to the exterior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Donald Wiebrecht, William J. Barnes
  • Patent number: 11959435
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine includes operating the engine in first and second engine operating map regions by performing passive jet ignition combustion with a first stoichiometric fuel mixture and a first volume of residual gas. The engine is operated in a third engine operating map region by performing turbulent jet controlled compression ignition (TJCCI) with an ultra lean fuel mixture and a first volume of cooled exhaust gas recirculation, a fourth engine operating map region by performing passive jet ignition combustion with a third stoichiometric fuel mixture and a second volume of cooled exhaust gas recirculation, and a fifth engine operating map region, characterized by shutting off the engine. The engine is operated in a mode transition region between the second, third, and fourth engine operating map regions by performing passive jet ignition combustion with a second stoichiometric fuel mixture and a second volume of residual gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Xin Yu, Anqi Zhang, Yu Zhang, Andrew Baur, David Cleary
  • Patent number: 11946430
    Abstract: Controlling a fuel injector in a fuel system for an engine includes switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply during energizing a solenoid actuator in a fuel injector, and generating a solenoid energizing waveform including a pull-in tier produced by a boosted voltage incipient current, a boosted voltage second current, and a lower voltage later current, based on the switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply. Controlling a fuel injector further includes detecting an arrival timing of the valve based on a property of the lower voltage later current, and electronically trimming the fuel injector based on the detecting an arrival timing. Related control system logic is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell B Juchems, Daniel Reese Puckett
  • Patent number: 11938776
    Abstract: An active suspension control system for a vehicle includes a mathematical model based on a modal expansion of the vehicle. Model parameters of the vehicle can be extracted from the modal expansion using sensor data generated on the vehicle, e.g., on demand and/or in real time. The model parameters and the modal expansion can be used to determine a vehicle state, predict future vehicle states, and control aspects of an active suspension system based on the predicted future vehicle states. The model parameters may also be used to update the mathematical model, e.g., to account for component wear over time, and/or to detect anomalies or defects in the active suspension system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandre Nunes, Johannes Edren
  • Patent number: 11939931
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine controller comprising a memory and a processor is provided. The memory is configured to store a plurality of control maps, each control map defining a hypersurface of actuator setpoints for controlling an actuator of the internal combustion engine based on a plurality of input variables to the internal combustion engine controller. The processor comprises an engine setpoint module and a map updating module. The engine setpoint module is configured to output a control signal to each actuator based on a location on the hypersurface of the respective control map defined by the plurality of input variables. The map updating module is configured to calculate an optimised hypersurface for at least one of the control maps. The optimised hypersurface is calculated based on a real-time performance model of the internal combustion engine comprising sensor data from the internal combustion engine and the plurality of input variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Gavin Williams, Peter Ladlow, Max Best, Mark Scaife
  • Patent number: 11939731
    Abstract: The invention relates to a self-propelled ground milling machine, in particular a road cold milling machine, stabilizer or recycler, comprising a milling device for milling the ground at a milling depth, a machine frame supported by front and rear travel units, an internal combustion engine arranged in an engine compartment, a hydraulic system with at least two hydraulic pumps, a pump transfer gear and a hydraulic tank, and an operator platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BOMAG GMBH
    Inventor: Nils Muders
  • Patent number: 11933242
    Abstract: Provided are an exhaust gas monitoring system and method for allowing a driver to monitor a state of an exhaust gas discharged from a vehicle during driving without getting out of the vehicle, thus improving convenience, and improving driving safety by diagnosing a state of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11933241
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a vehicle having an engine configured to selectively operate between a port fuel injection (PFI) mode, a gasoline direct injection (GDI) mode, and a port and direct fuel injection (PDI) mode. The fuel delivery system includes a PFI system including plurality of PFI injectors configured to supply fuel to the engine during the PFI mode, and a GDI system including a plurality of GDI injectors configured to supply fuel to the engine during the GDI mode. A fuel system monitor is configured to monitor the fuel delivery system when operating in the PFI mode, and attribute any fuel delivery system malfunctions occurring during the PFI mode to the PFI system alone, and monitor the fuel delivery system when operating in the GDI mode, and attribute any fuel delivery system malfunctions occurring during the GDI mode to the GDI system alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Firsich, Tyler S Blake, Francesco Berti, Alex Eskenazi-Gold, Vadiraj P Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 11926308
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an internal combustion engine that is coupled to a power split transmission are described. In one example, the internal combustion engine is operated in a speed control mode or a torque control mode in response to a braking torque and a transmission shift command. Operating the engine in the torque control mode may allow the engine to charge a battery while a neutral transmission state is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Shen, William David Treharne, Carol Louise Okubo
  • Patent number: 11920536
    Abstract: A fuel pump system for aircraft includes an auxiliary fuel pump in-line with the primary pump, and an electric motor driving the auxiliary fuel pump at an operational motor speed. The system includes an electric control circuit (ECC) and a pressure sensor to regulate the speed of the electric motor based on the output pressure from the sensor to maintain a constant predetermined output pressure. The system may have additional fault mitigation circuitry configured to automatically switch from a processor-controlled to a fixed voltage as a source of power driving the electric motor at either a regulated speed or a constant fixed speed, respectively. The system may include a switch having user-selectable operational modes, including ECC-controlled mode and a high boost mode selectable if the ECC fails. In high boost mode, the ECC is bypassed to drive the electric motor at a fixed safe speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventors: Gary Schultz, Conrad P. Lindberg, Charles Duffie
  • Patent number: 11913398
    Abstract: An engine control device includes a model that, based on engine operating condition and first-type operation amount, reproduces at least one index from among various indexes of combustion state of engine, and a processor that executes a process including deciding on second-type operation amount, by optimization using the model so as to treat at least one of the indexes, which are reproduced by the model, as estimated value of control amount, and ensure that the estimated value of the control amount follows control target value, associating the second-type operation amount with the control target value and the engine operating condition, rewriting a learning control table in which operation amount corresponding to the control target value and the engine operating condition is registered, and calculating operation amount according to the learning control table based on the control target value and the engine operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TRANSTRON INC.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ogawa, Takuma Degawa
  • Patent number: 11913392
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus use infrared spectrometry onboard an internal combustion engine running on a natural gas fuel to detect characteristics of the fuel. At a site having a plurality of natural gas engines, detection of natural gas fuel components and concentrations of the components also is conducted at the site upstream of the point of intake of the natural gas fuel to one or more of the engines. Operating parameters of the engine or a plurality of the engines may be controlled on the basis of the detected composition of the natural gas fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Alcides Lana, Yilun Liu, Philipe F. Saad, Ganesh Raghunath
  • Patent number: 11909412
    Abstract: A failure determination device: acquires a second digital value indicating a difference between an analog electrical output generated by inputting a first digital value incremented at a first time interval to a DA conversion circuit and a target output indicated by the first digital value at a second time interval; and determines whether the DA conversion circuit has a failure based on a signal strength in a predetermined frequency of the second digital value that is a discrete signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasunari Sato
  • Patent number: 11897302
    Abstract: A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle in which road surface displacement-related information corresponding to left and right wheels detected by a pair of in-vehicle detection devices is transmitted to a preview reference database control device together with the detection position information, a preview reference database including road surface displacement-related values is created, preview damping control that reduces vibration of a sprung of the vehicle is performed using the road surface displacement-related values in the preview reference database, and it is assumed that road surface displacement-related values in predetermined adjacent regions located in a direction crossing a traveling direction of the vehicle with respect to two points where the road surface displacement-related information was detected by the pair of in-vehicle detection devices are the same as an in-phase component of the road surface displacement-related values at the two points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Patent number: 11898513
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine controller for an internal combustion engine comprising a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store a plurality of control maps, each control map defining a hypersurface of actuator setpoints for controlling an actuator of the internal combustion engine based on a plurality of input variables to the internal combustion engine controller. The processor comprises a map updating module, a parameter updating module and an engine setpoint module. The map updating module is configured to calculate an optimised hypersurface for at least one of the control maps based on a performance objective function of the internal combustion engine, sensor data from the internal combustion engine, and the plurality of input variables, wherein the performance objective function includes parameters. The parameter updating module is configured to update a parameter of the performance objective function upon determining a change in an operating condition of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Gavin Williams, Peter Ladlow, Ridwan Kureemun, Baoyang Deng
  • Patent number: 11885271
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detonation control in spark ignition engines. The apparatus includes an analog neurocomputing hardware device, a knock sensor coupled to a spark ignition engine, an ignition coil for the spark ignition engine, and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) for the spark ignition engine. The analog neuromorphic hardware device is configured to receive knock signals from the knock sensor, receive ignition coil data from the ignition coil, determine a knock level and ignition quality measure based on the received knock sensor signals and the received ignition coil data, and transmit the knock level and ignition quality measure to the ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PolyN Technology Limited
    Inventors: Aleksandrs Timofejevs, Boris Maslov, Nikolai Kovshov, Dmitri Godovskiy
  • Patent number: 11881908
    Abstract: An intake air heating system for a vehicle includes: an air heater configured to heat air an intake system of an engine; an air heater control module configured to selectively apply power to the air heater via a power conductor; and a voltage sensor and communication module configured to: measure a voltage on terminals of the air heater; and transmit an indicator of the voltage to the air heater control module on the power conductor, where the air heater control module is further configured to: receive the indicator via the power conductor; determine a resistance of the air heater based on the voltage on the terminals of the air heater and a current through the air heater; and apply power to the air heater based on the resistance of the air heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Phillips & Temro Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Steven W. Tonkin
  • Patent number: 11879407
    Abstract: A throttle control system for a vehicle includes a controller comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, a throttle valve movable between valve positions, an input sensor to transmit a target position, and a position sensor configured to detect an instantaneous disposition of the throttle valve at one of the valve positions. The controller executes instructions stored in the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium. The controller receives the target position signal and the detected position signal. The processor compares the target position signal and the detected position signal to the instructions, selects an output signal, and transmits the output signal to the throttle valve. A first fuzzy control acceleration, a brake deceleration, and a second fuzzy control acceleration based on the output signal are applied to move of the throttle valve toward the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignees: WAL Fuel Systems USA Inc., WAL Low Carbon Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuxiao Lai, Xiankai Song
  • Patent number: 11867134
    Abstract: The internal-combustion-engine control apparatus has an intake-air-temperature correction control apparatus including a first-order advance compensation means that calculates an advance-compensation amount for an intake-air temperature detection signal, a time constant determination means that calculates a time constant of the first-order advance compensation means, and a first-order delay compensation means that receives a calculation value of the first-order advance compensation means; the time constant determination means includes a time constant setting means that sets a time constant, based on an intake-air flow rate detection signal, an upper-limit-value setting means that sets an upper limit value of the time constant calculated by the time constant determination means, and a minimum value selection means that selects and outputs a minimum value of a time constant set by the time constant setting means and the upper limit value set by the upper-limit-value setting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakajima, Takayuki Gamahara, Shinichiro Hidaka