Patents by Inventor Christopher Alan Lear

Christopher Alan Lear 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: 20130297126
    Abstract: A control system for a modular hybrid electric vehicle operates an internal combustion engine at a torque level above the driver demanded torque improving the engine's efficiency. A traction motor driveably connected to the engine is operated at a torque level such that the combined torque satisfies the driver demand. The traction motor torque is limited to avoid inefficient combinations of speed and torque at which the motor is inefficient. During idle operation, the traction motor is operated at a torque determined from a battery state of charge and the engine is operated to maintain a predetermined speed. If the engine speed drops below a threshold, motor torque is adjusted to reduce the load on the engine to avoid stalling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Steven Yamazaki, Christopher Alan Lear, Francis Thomas Connolly
  • Publication number: 20130297105
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has an engine, an electric machine connected to the engine by an upstream clutch, a transmission gearbox connected to the electric machine by a downstream clutch, and a controller. The controller is configured to start the engine using one of a plurality of start sequences that control the electric machine, the upstream and downstream clutches. The engine start sequence is selected based on transmission gearbox input speed and a driver demand input. A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle is provided. An engine is selectively coupled to an electric machine by an upstream clutch with the electric machine selectively coupled to a transmission gearbox by a downstream clutch. The engine is started using a control sequence to control the electric machine, upstream clutch, and downstream clutch. The control sequence is determined by a vehicle state based on transmission gearbox input speed and a driver demand input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Steven Yamazaki, Francis Thomas Connolly, Bernard D. Nefcy, Daniel Scott Colvin, Walter Joseph Ortmann, Christopher Alan Lear
  • Publication number: 20130297109
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle having an electric traction motor coupled to a transmission by a clutch include modifying traction motor torque in response to the difference between rotational speed of a driveline component and the filtered rotational speed of the driveline component to reduce driveline oscillation when the clutch is locked. The traction motor torque may be modified in response to a vehicle event that may otherwise induce driveline oscillations, such as a transmission ratio change or regenerative braking, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard D. Nefcy, Marvin Paul Kraska, Daniel Scott Colvin, Christopher Alan Lear
  • Publication number: 20100017054
    Abstract: A method for controlling a demand for engine power in a control for an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle with power-split characteristics. Following transitions from acceleration or deceleration operating modes to a steady-state operating mode, power demand excursions from road-load power are attenuated or avoided by filtering the power demand using a filter constant that changes within battery power constraints as a function of a normalized driver demand for power at traction wheels for the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Carol Louise Okubo, Christopher Alan Lear, Kenneth Frederick