Patents by Inventor Brent Edward Sealy

Brent Edward Sealy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11623857
    Abstract: Vehicle fuel fill control systems may anticipate vehicle refueling events in order to control the timing of fuel tank depressurization sequences. In a first embodiment, a global positioning system (GPS) is utilized to anticipate the vehicle refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In another embodiment, a camera system is utilized to anticipate the refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In yet another embodiment, both the GPS and the camera system may be utilized to anticipate the refueling event. By anticipating refueling events, customer wait time for gaining refueling access may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Martin, Brent Edward Sealy, Roshini Venkatesh
  • Patent number: 11584222
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a fuel inlet conduit configured to receive a fuel dispensing nozzle. The fuel inlet conduit opens to an inlet opening. A guard is configured to move back and forth between a blocking position that prevents insertion of the fuel dispensing nozzle through the inlet opening into the fuel inlet conduit, and an accessing position that permits insertion of the fuel dispensing nozzle through the inlet opening into the fuel inlet conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Martin, Roshini Venkatesh, Brent Edward Sealy, Dennis Seung-Man Yang, John Joseph Virga
  • Patent number: 11425227
    Abstract: Techniques for identifying certain signals sent over the CAN bus between components of a vehicle are provided herein. Specifically, certain testing maneuvers designed to engage the component of interest are provided to a technician for performing on the vehicle. The messages can be captured from the CAN bus and analyzed, using supervised machine learning algorithms, to isolate the message ids and the byte numbers so that the values of the component of interest may be observed for determining performance metrics. Once identified, these performance metrics may be used to compare with other vehicles or improve the design and performance of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sasidhar Hari, Praveen Bhupathiraju, Bernard D. Nefcy, Brent Edward Sealy
  • Publication number: 20210380397
    Abstract: Vehicle fuel fill control systems may anticipate vehicle refueling events in order to control the timing of fuel tank depressurization sequences. In a first embodiment, a global positioning system (GPS) is utilized to anticipate the vehicle refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In another embodiment, a camera system is utilized to anticipate the refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In yet another embodiment, both the GPS and the camera system may be utilized to anticipate the refueling event. By anticipating refueling events, customer wait time for gaining refueling access may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: David Martin, Brent Edward Sealy, Roshini Venkatesh
  • Patent number: 11124408
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to vehicle fuel fill control systems for anticipating vehicle refueling events in order to control the timing of fuel tank depressurization sequences. In a first embodiment, a global positioning system (GPS) is utilized to anticipate the vehicle refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In another embodiment, a camera system is utilized to anticipate the refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In yet another embodiment, both the GPS and the camera system may be utilized to anticipate the refueling event. By anticipating refueling events, customer wait time for gaining refueling access may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Martin, Brent Edward Sealy, Roshini Venkatesh
  • Publication number: 20210243280
    Abstract: Techniques for identifying certain signals sent over the CAN bus between components of a vehicle are provided herein. Specifically, certain testing maneuvers designed to engage the component of interest are provided to a technician for performing on the vehicle. The messages can be captured from the CAN bus and analyzed, using supervised machine learning algorithms, to isolate the message ids and the byte numbers so that the values of the component of interest may be observed for determining performance metrics. Once identified, these performance metrics may be used to compare with other vehicles or improve the design and performance of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sasidhar Hari, Praveen Bhupathiraju, Bernard D. Nefcy, Brent Edward Sealy
  • Patent number: 10982632
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to vehicle fuel systems capable of isolating the energy within a fuel tank from the vehicle user. An exemplary fuel system may include a first valve located within a fuel inlet conduit and a second valve located within a vapor recovery recirculation line of the fuel system. The first and second valves may be controlled based on the pressure inside a fuel tank of the fuel system. Fuel may only be transferred into the fuel tank when the fuel tank is within a predefined threshold pressure range. A depressurization sequence of the fuel tank may be automatically initiated when a fuel door of the fuel system is moved to an open position. The positioning of the fuel door may be monitored by a fuel door position monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Scott Martin, Roshini Venkatesh, Brent Edward Sealy, Alan Robert Dona, Dennis Seung-Man Yang
  • Publication number: 20210078852
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to vehicle fuel fill control systems for anticipating vehicle refueling events in order to control the timing of fuel tank depressurization sequences. In a first embodiment, a global positioning system (GPS) is utilized to anticipate the vehicle refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In another embodiment, a camera system is utilized to anticipate the refueling event prior to initializing the depressurization sequence. In yet another embodiment, both the GPS and the camera system may be utilized to anticipate the refueling event. By anticipating refueling events, customer wait time for gaining refueling access may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: David Martin, Brent Edward Sealy, Roshini Venkatesh
  • Publication number: 20210061091
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to vehicle fuel systems that include door biasing systems for controlling the opening and/or closing of a fuel door of the fuel systems. In a first embodiment, a dual spring door biasing system controls the operation of the fuel door. In a second embodiment, a wind closed door biasing system controls the operation of the fuel door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: David Martin, Brent Edward Sealy, Roshini Venkatesh
  • Patent number: 10876505
    Abstract: A vehicle fueling control system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fuel inlet conduit configured to receive a fuel dispensing nozzle, and a blocking assembly. The blocking assembly is configured to move back and forth between a fill blocking position that blocks airflow through a port of the fuel dispensing nozzle and a fill permitting position that permits airflow through the port of the fuel dispensing nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Roshini Venkatesh, Brent Edward Sealy, David Martin
  • Publication number: 20200398662
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a fuel inlet conduit configured to receive a fuel dispensing nozzle. The fuel inlet conduit opens to an inlet opening. A guard is configured to move back and forth between a blocking position that prevents insertion of the fuel dispensing nozzle through the inlet opening into the fuel inlet conduit, and an accessing position that permits insertion of the fuel dispensing nozzle through the inlet opening into the fuel inlet conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: David Martin, Roshini Venkatesh, Brent Edward Sealy, Dennis Seung-Man Yang, John Joseph Virga
  • Patent number: 9689298
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring an emission control device coupled to an engine. In one example approach, the method comprises, following a deceleration fuel shut-off (DFSO) duration, indicating degradation of an emission device based on an amount of rich products required to cause a sensor to become richer than a first threshold, the indicating carried out when DFSO duration is greater than a second threshold. The method also comprises an integration which is based on inlet air-fuel ratio, the integration starting only after a pre-catalyst sensor reaches stoichiometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pankaj Kumar, Imad Hassan Makki, Brent Edward Sealy, Michael Casedy
  • Patent number: 9328646
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring an emission device coupled to an engine. In one example approach, the method comprises: following a deceleration fuel shut-off duration, indicating degradation of the emission device based on an amount of rich products required to cause a sensor to become richer than a threshold. The amount of rich products required may be correlated to an amount of oxygen stored in the emission device. The indication of emission device degradation may be further based on air mass and temperature during delivery of the required rich products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Edward Sealy, Jeffrey Scott Hepburn, Paul Chester Dara
  • Publication number: 20160102594
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring an emission control device coupled to an engine. In one example approach, the method comprises, following a deceleration fuel shut-off (DFSO) duration, indicating degradation of an emission device based on an amount of rich products required to cause a sensor to become richer than a first threshold, the indicating carried out when DFSO duration is greater than a second threshold. The method also comprises an integration which is based on inlet air-fuel ratio, the integration starting only after a pre-catalyst sensor reaches stoichiometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Pankaj Kumar, Imad Hassan Makki, Brent Edward Sealy, Michael Casedy
  • Patent number: 9261033
    Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing operation of a catalyst are presented. In one example, threshold limits for catalyst variables are adjusted in response to attributes of a catalyst monitor sensor that may vary with sensor age. The catalyst variables may provide insight into whether or not the catalyst is degraded or operating as intended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Edward Sealy, Michael Casedy, Timothy Robert Gernant
  • Publication number: 20150337750
    Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing operation of a catalyst are presented. In one example, threshold limits for catalyst variables are adjusted in response to attributes of a catalyst monitor sensor that may vary with sensor age. The catalyst variables may provide insight into whether or not the catalyst is degraded or operating as intended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Edward Sealy, Michael Casedy, Timothy Robert Gernant
  • Patent number: 9097166
    Abstract: A method of monitoring catalyst performance may comprise applying a set of parameter readings for a given sample to a support vector machine to generate a classification output, clustering the set of parameter readings to reduce a number of support vectors, computing a total fuel mass following a deceleration fuel shut-off event and an exhaust gas oxygen sensor switch and indicating catalyst degradation based on the total fuel mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Imad Hassan Makki, Pankaj Kumar, Dimitar Petrov Filev, Timothy Robert Gernant, Michael Casedy, Brent Edward Sealy
  • Publication number: 20140283589
    Abstract: A method of monitoring catalyst performance may comprise applying a set of parameter readings for a given sample to a support vector machine to generate a classification output, clustering the set of parameter readings to reduce a number of support vectors, computing a total fuel mass following a deceleration fuel shut-off event and an exhaust gas oxygen sensor switch and indicating catalyst degradation based on the total fuel mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Imad Hassan Makki, Pankaj Kumar, Dimitar Petrov Filev, Timothy Robert Gernant, Michael Casedy, Brent Edward Sealy
  • Publication number: 20140216012
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring an emission device coupled to an engine. In one example approach, the method comprises: following a deceleration fuel shut-off duration, indicating degradation of the emission device based on an amount of rich products required to cause a sensor to become richer than a threshold. The amount of rich products required may be correlated to an amount of oxygen stored in the emission device. The indication of emission device degradation may be further based on air mass and temperature during delivery of the required rich products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Edward Sealy, Jeffrey Scott Hepburn, Paul Chester Dara
  • Patent number: 8756915
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring an emission device coupled to an engine. In one example approach, the method comprises: following a deceleration fuel shut-off duration, indicating degradation of the emission device based on an amount of rich products required to cause a sensor to become richer than a threshold. The amount of rich products required may be correlated to an amount of oxygen stored in the emission device. The indication of emission device degradation may be further based on air mass and temperature during delivery of the required rich products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Edward Sealy, Jeffrey Scott Hepburn, Paul Chester Dara