Patents Examined by Susan Scharpf
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Patent number: 9926881Abstract: An engine of a stop/start vehicle, after the engine has been automatically stopped, may be commanded to automatically restart in response to detecting that the vehicle is in a turn lane based on traffic data in a vicinity of the vehicle such that the engine is automatically restarted before a brake pedal is released and a steering wheel is turned.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLCInventors: Sangeetha Sangameswaran, Mathew Alan Boesch, George Edmund Walley, John Anthony Lockwood
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Patent number: 9915190Abstract: A ducted combustion system is disclosed. The ducted combustion system may include a combustion chamber, which is defined as an enclosure bound at a first end by a flame deck surface of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine and bound at a second end by a piston top surface of a piston disposed within the internal combustion engine. The system may further include a fuel injector, having at least one orifice, injecting fuel into the combustion chamber as at least one fuel jet. The system may further include at least one Venturi duct disposed within the combustion chamber between the flame deck surface and the piston top surface, the at least one Venturi duct being disposed such that each of the at least one fuel jet, at least partially, enters the at least one Venturi duct structure upon being injected into the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2015Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Caterpillar, Inc.Inventor: Chad Koci
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Patent number: 9909519Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes: an in-cylinder pressure sensor; a crank angle sensor; and a seal portion that seals a space between an outer face of a housing and a wall surface of a cylinder head. A slope that is a ratio of the amount of decrease in a heat release amount relative to the amount of increase in a crank angle is calculated in a period during an expansion stroke from a combustion end point until an opening timing of an exhaust valve. The existence or nonexistence of an abnormality in the sealing function of the seal portion is determined based on whether or not a ratio of the amount of decrease in the slope to the amount of increase in an engine speed is greater than a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2015Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromichi Yasuda
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Patent number: 9885333Abstract: A method and a device for supplying fuel into a combustion chamber of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, in which an air-fuel mixture is supplied to the cylinder via at least two intake sections, which are connected to the cylinder via an intake valve, and each of the intake sections is assigned an injector, fuel being injected into the intake sections in at least intermittently asynchronous manner.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2011Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Andreas Gutscher, Andreas Posselt, Marko Lorenz
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Patent number: 9835115Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for generating vacuum via an ejector arranged in a compressor recirculation flow path and an aspirator arranged in a throttle bypass path, where a suction port of the ejector is coupled with a canister purge valve having two outlet ports. In one example, the canister purge valve may include only a single flow restriction, the flow restriction arranged in a path coupling a fuel vapor purge system with the intake manifold when a solenoid of canister purge valve is open, such that a path coupling the fuel vapor purge system with the suction port of the ejector does not include any flow restrictions upstream of the suction port.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2015Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey
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Patent number: 9810189Abstract: A fuel distributor, which is used, in particular, for fuel injection systems of mixture-compressing, internal combustion engines having externally supplied ignition, includes a distributor pipe, a first holder and at least one second holder. The distributor pipe has a longitudinal axis. In this connection, the first holder and the second holder are situated at the distributor pipe so as to be axially set apart from one another with respect to the longitudinal axis. The distributor pipe is designed to allow axial length compensation. It is also possible for at least one holder to be designed to allow axial length compensation.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Martin Maier, Martin Goehner, Markus Feigl, Helmut Schneider, Nikolaus Hautmann, Dietmar Uhlenbrock, Holger Uhrig
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Patent number: 9803570Abstract: Methods and systems for operating an engine during conditions where ambient humidity changes over time are presented. In one non-limiting example, an engine air flow limit is adjusted to increase engine air flow during high humidity conditions such that an engine may provide equivalent torque output during the high humidity conditions as compared to when the engine is operated during low humidity conditions.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2014Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Michael Howard Shelby, Stephen B. Smith, Mohannad Hakeem
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Patent number: 9797347Abstract: Embodiments for controlling fuel vapors are disclosed. In one example, a method comprises during a purge of a fuel vapor canister, adjusting a heater of the fuel vapor canister based on a rate of a purge flow exiting the fuel vapor canister and a concentration of hydrocarbons released from the fuel vapor canister. In this way, a fuel vapor canister purge efficiency may be increased.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Mark W. Peters, Mark Daniel Bunge, Michael G. Heim, Russell Randall Pearce
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Patent number: 9797343Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining degradation of an EGR cooler based on differential pressure across the EGR cooler during EGR flow. In one example, the differential pressure across the EGR cooler may be based on differential pressure across an EGR valve and a pressure downstream from the EGR valve with and without EGR flow. The pressure downstream from the EGR valve may be a compressor inlet pressure or an intake manifold pressure in a low pressure EGR system or high pressure EGR system, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2013Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Daniel Joseph Styles, James Alfred Hilditch, Imtiaz Ali, Freeman Carter Gates
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Patent number: 9790911Abstract: An engine control device applied to a vehicle equipped with an actuator for changing a suspension property of the vehicle, a suspension control device for driving the actuator, and an engine. The engine control device automatically stops the engine operation when a stop condition is satisfied and automatically starts the engine operation when a start condition is satisfied, continues the engine operation when a signal for inhibiting the automatic stop of the engine operation is sent to the engine control device in order to drive the actuator and the engine control device judges that no malfunction occurs in the suspension control device even if the stop condition is satisfied, and ignores the signal and automatically stops the engine operation when the stop condition is satisfied and judges that the malfunction occurs in the suspension control device even if the signal is sent to the engine control device.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenichi Ishii, Hiroto Miura, Hideki Ohashi, Yosuke Yamashita, Masataka Okuda
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Patent number: 9771884Abstract: A system according to the present disclosure includes a pump operating parameter module and a purge flow control module. The pump operating parameter module determines a value of an operating parameter of a purge pump that delivers purge fluid from a canister in an evaporative emissions system to an intake system of an engine. The operating parameter of the purge pump includes at least one of a speed of the purge pump, an amount of current supplied to the purge pump, and an amount of power supplied to the purge pump. The purge flow control module controls at least one of a purge valve and the purge pump to adjust an amount of purge fluid delivered to a cylinder of an engine based on the determined value of the operating parameter of the purge pump.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Darrell W. Burleigh, Christopher P. Musienko, Kenneth C. Swartz
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Patent number: 9732646Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for opportunistic regeneration of a diesel particulate filter based on cloud based traffic information and navigation information. In one example, a method may include determining initiation of regeneration, termination of regeneration and a degree of regeneration based on information from a lead vehicular network and navigation information in order to reduce a regeneration fuel penalty.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Devesh Upadhyay, Michael Hopka, Thomas Alan Brewbaker, Cory Scott Hendrickson
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Patent number: 9726106Abstract: Systems and methods for improving fuel injection of an engine that includes a cylinder receiving fuel from two different fuel injectors is disclosed. In one example, fuel is supplied to port fuel injectors and direct fuel injectors via a same high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure port fuel injection is activated at times where direct fuel injection would supply less fuel than is desired or an inconsistent amount of fuel.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Mark Meinhart, Joseph F. Basmaji, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
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Patent number: 9726091Abstract: Active control of one or more exhaust gas recirculation loops is provided to manage and EGR fraction in the charge flow to produce desired operating conditions and/or provide diagnostics in response to at least one of an oxygen concentration and a NOx concentration in the charge flow and in the exhaust flow.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2014Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Cummins Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Ruth, Michael J. Cunningham, Cary A. Henry
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Patent number: 9719432Abstract: A control apparatus for the internal combustion engine has a multicore processor mounted with a plurality of the cores, calculates various tasks regarding an operation of the internal combustion engine, and distributes the tasks to the plurality of the cores respectively to perform a calculation, and a controller that makes the number of cores for use in the calculation smaller while fuel cutoff is carried out than before the fuel cutoff is carried out. The controller selects, as a designated core, at least one of the cores for use in a specific calculation associated with combustion of the internal combustion engine. The controller stops the designated core from being used while fuel cutoff is carried out.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2011Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hayato Nakada
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Patent number: 9714614Abstract: Systems and methods are described for controlling an aspirator control valve in an engine. An example method comprises closing the aspirator control valve responsive to diagnosing a first engine degradation condition and opening the aspirator control valve in response to diagnosing a second engine degradation condition.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2015Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Eric Luehrsen, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
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Patent number: 9708998Abstract: A fuel control system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a voltage measuring module, a first difference module, a second difference module, a third difference module, and an injector driver module. The voltage measuring module measures first and second voltages at first and second electrical connectors of a fuel injector of an engine. The first difference module determines a first difference based on a difference between the first and second voltages. The second difference module determines a second difference between (i) the first difference and (ii) a previous value of the first difference. The third difference module determines a third difference between (i) the second difference and (ii) a previous value of the second difference. The injector driver module selectively applies power to the fuel injector based on the third difference.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Jonathan T. Shibata, Michael J. Lucido
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Patent number: 9695760Abstract: A method/system for maintaining the energy efficiency history of predicted route segments in a database, providing adaptive feedback to hybrid vehicle controls, and displaying the energy efficiency history to the driver. As the vehicle travels on a route, the system stores energy efficiency information for route segments. The system may include sensors, a memory, and a processor to learn energy efficiency information based on how fuel and battery power are used over a route segment and/or route. The method/system may utilize energy efficiency information to adjust a start/stop engine threshold of a hybrid vehicle. When the processor predicts that the vehicle will travels on the predicted route segment again, the vehicle may optimize powertrain parameters such as the start/stop engine threshold during traveling on the predicted route segment and/or before reaching the predicted route segment.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2014Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Mohammad E. Dufford, Joshua D. Payne
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Patent number: 9689348Abstract: A control apparatus 57 is a 2-input, 2-output integral-type optimal servo system in which intake air amount and intake oxygen concentration are used as control quantities (y1, y2) and the degree of opening of a control valve of an exhaust gas recirculation apparatus and the degree of opening of a control valve of a supercharger equipped with a variable flow rate mechanism are used as manipulated quantities (u1, u2), and includes an output feedback system. The control apparatus (57) is provided with an EGR valve opening degree unit (70) and an opening rate valve of the supercharger. Each of the control units includes a non-interference controller (64) for eliminating interference between the manipulated quantity for the control valve of the exhaust gas recirculation apparatus and the manipulated quantity for the control valve of the supercharger equipped with the variable flow rate mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2012Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Takaharu Hiroe, Hiroyoshi Kubo, Tomohide Yamada
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Patent number: 9683497Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a throttle based on an intake oxygen sensor output. In one example, a method may include adjusting a position of a throttle based on a dilution threshold and a total aircharge dilution level, the total dilution aircharge level based on an output of an intake oxygen sensor. Additionally, spark timing may be adjusted based on the total aircharge dilution level.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2013Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Michael Howard Shelby, James Alfred Hilditch, Jason Williams