Patents by Inventor Chad D. Kromrey

Chad D. Kromrey 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: 10961931
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder and a valve assembly configured to activate and deactivate the at least one cylinder. The valve assembly includes an intake valve configured to control air flow into the at least one cylinder. A controller outputs a first control signal to the valve assembly to deactivate the at least one cylinder in response to detecting a deceleration event. The controller also outputs a second control signal to command the valve assembly to delay opening the intake valve from a closed position after re-activating the cylinder so that the torque output produced in response to re-activating the cylinder is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chad D. Kromrey, Nathan M. Picot
  • Publication number: 20200018251
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder and a valve assembly configured to activate and deactivate the at least one cylinder. The valve assembly includes an intake valve configured to control air flow into the at least one cylinder. A controller outputs a first control signal to the valve assembly to deactivate the at least one cylinder in response to detecting a deceleration event. The controller also outputs a second control signal to command the valve assembly to delay opening the intake valve from a closed position after re-activating the cylinder so that the torque output produced in response to re-activating the cylinder is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Chad D. Kromrey, Nathan M. Picot
  • Publication number: 20190135287
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprises providing a vehicle having an internal combustion gasoline engine including multiple cylinders and wherein the engine is operating in a deactivated cylinder mode, receiving a torque request if a cylinder reactivation torque smoothing mode is active, setting a variable torque ratio to 1.0 if the torque request is greater than a fast exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to 0.0 if the torque request is less than a slow exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to a value between 0.0 and 1.0 if the torque request is between the fast exit threshold torque and slow exit threshold torque, and calculating a component of final engine output torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Chad D. Kromrey, Zhong Li, Nigel K. Hyatt, Andrew J. Harkenrider
  • Patent number: 10183672
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprises providing a vehicle having an internal combustion gasoline engine including multiple cylinders and wherein the engine is operating in a deactivated cylinder mode, receiving a torque request if a cylinder reactivation torque smoothing mode is active, setting a variable torque ratio to 1.0 if the torque request is greater than a fast exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to 0.0 if the torque request is less than a slow exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to a value between 0.0 and 1.0 if the torque request is between the fast exit threshold torque and slow exit threshold torque, and calculating a component of final engine output torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chad D. Kromrey, Zhong Li, Nigel K. Hyatt, Andrew J. Harkenrider
  • Publication number: 20180057007
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprises providing a vehicle having an internal combustion gasoline engine including multiple cylinders and wherein the engine is operating in a deactivated cylinder mode, receiving a torque request if a cylinder reactivation torque smoothing mode is active, setting a variable torque ratio to 1.0 if the torque request is greater than a fast exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to 0.0 if the torque request is less than a slow exit threshold torque, setting the variable torque ratio to a value between 0.0 and 1.0 if the torque request is between the fast exit threshold torque and slow exit threshold torque, and calculating a component of final engine output torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Chad D. Kromrey, Zhong Li, Nigel K. Hyatt, Andrew J. Harkenrider