Patents by Inventor Brian L. Spohn

Brian L. Spohn 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).

  • Publication number: 20110277449
    Abstract: A catalyst heating system includes a monitoring module, a mode selection module and an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) control module. The monitoring module monitors at least one of (i) a first active volume of a catalyst assembly in an exhaust system of an engine and (ii) a first temperature of a non-EHC of the catalyst assembly. The mode selection module is configured to select a non-EHC radiant heating mode and generate a mode signal based on the at least one of the first active catalyst volume and the first temperature. An EHC control module increases temperature of the EHC to an elevated temperature that is greater than a stabilization temperature based on the mode signal. The stabilization temperature is greater than a catalyst light off temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Eugene V. GONZE, Halim G. SANTOSO, Brian L. SPOHN, Bryan Nathaniel ROOS
  • Publication number: 20110258984
    Abstract: A catalyst heating system includes a first monitoring module, a mode selection module and an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) control module. The first monitoring module monitors at least one of (i) a first temperature of a first catalyst of a catalyst assembly in an exhaust system of an engine and (ii) an active catalyst volume of the catalyst assembly. The mode selection module is configured to select an EHC heating mode and at least one of a fuel enrichment mode and a secondary air injection mode based on the at least one of the first temperature and the active catalyst volume. The EHC control module controls current to one of the first catalyst and a second catalyst of the catalyst assembly based on the mode signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Halim G. Santoso, Eugene V. Gonze, Bryan Nathaniel Roos, Brian L. Spohn