Patents by Inventor Craig D. Marriott

Craig D. Marriott 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: 20130013136
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine having a cylinder provided with an intake valve, an exhaust valve, and a piston configured to rotate the engine's crankshaft. The method includes determining whether deceleration of the vehicle is desired and also includes ceasing supply of fuel to the cylinder when such condition is satisfied. The method additionally includes selecting a fuel-off actuation arrangement for the intake valve via a mechanism configured to provide variable valve timing and lift, such that a magnitude of compression pulses in the cylinder during deceleration is limited. A system for controlling the hybrid vehicle and a vehicle employing such a system are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: CRAIG D. MARRIOTT, BEN W. MOSCHEROSCH
  • Publication number: 20120174891
    Abstract: A method may include injecting gasoline into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine from a direct injection gasoline fuel injector during a gasoline fuel mode of the engine. The method may also include combusting the gasoline in the combustion chamber to power the engine during the gasoline fuel mode. Further, the method may include injecting gaseous fuel from a gaseous fuel injection system into the combustion chamber during a gaseous fuel mode of the engine and combusting the gaseous fuel in the combustion chamber to power the engine during the gaseous fuel mode. The method may further include cooling the direct injection gasoline fuel injector during the gaseous fuel mode by injecting gasoline into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: CRAIG D. MARRIOTT, UWE DIETER GREBE
  • Publication number: 20120168654
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve actuation assembly may include a housing, a piston, a supply control valve, a closing control valve, and an opening control valve. The housing may define a first fluid chamber, a second fluid chamber, and a third fluid chamber. The piston may be axially secured to an engine valve and located within the first, second and third fluid chambers. The supply control valve may control a hydraulic fluid supply to the piston. The closing control valve may be located between the supply control valve and the second fluid chamber and may control fluid flow from the second fluid chamber to the supply control valve. The opening control valve may be located between the supply control valve and the second fluid chamber and may control fluid flow from the supply control valve to the second fluid chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: CRAIG D. MARRIOTT
  • Publication number: 20120097121
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a first lift control module and a second lift control module. The first lift control module increases lift of M valves of the engine to a predetermined valve lift during a period before disabling or re-enabling N valves of the engine. The second lift control module decreases the lift of the M valves to a desired valve lift during a period after enabling or re-enabling the N valves of the engine, wherein N and M are integers greater than or equal to one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Craig D. Marriott, Joel Cowgill, Matthew A. Wiles, Kenneth James Patton
  • Patent number: 8096275
    Abstract: A camshaft assembly may include a first shaft adapted to be rotationally driven, a first lobe member fixed for rotation with the first shaft, and a torsional damper fixed to the first shaft. The torsional damper may include a mass structure fixed to the first shaft and an elastic member disposed between and coupling the mass structure and the first shaft. The elastic member may have a spring constant providing a first sideband natural frequency and a second sideband natural frequency for the camshaft assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventors: Craig D. Marriott, Hong Wai Nguyen, Ronald Jay Pierik
  • Patent number: 8074614
    Abstract: An engine assembly may include a cylinder head defining an engine coolant reservoir, a pressurized fluid supply, a valve actuation assembly, and a hydraulic fluid reservoir. The valve actuation assembly may be in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid supply and may include a valve member displaceable by a force applied by the pressurized fluid supply. The hydraulic fluid reservoir may be in fluid communication with the valve actuation assembly and in a heat exchange relation to the engine coolant reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Craig D. Marriott, Timothy L. Neal, Jeff L. Swain, Miguel A. Raimao
  • Patent number: 8061318
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft and first and second cam actuated intake valves. A method for operating the engine includes providing a first intake cam configured to actuate the first cam actuated intake valve, and providing a second intake cam configured to actuate the second cam actuated intake valve. The second intake cam is phase adjustable relative to the crankshaft independently of the phase of the first intake cam relative to the crankshaft. A controller is provided and configured to selectively retard the phase of the second intake cam to effect later closing of the second cam actuated intake valve sufficiently to reduce the effective compression ratio of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David J. Cleary, Paul M. Najt, Craig D. Marriott, Junseok Chang
  • Patent number: 8047065
    Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for operating the same includes a pressure monitoring module generating a diagnostic pressure signal and a camshaft driven engine component correction module generating an engine component oil pressure correction signal and generating a corrected diagnostic pressure signal based on the diagnostic pressure signal and the engine component oil pressure signal. The system further includes a diagnostic module generating a failed variable valve lift mechanism signal based on the corrected diagnostic pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cinpinski, Craig D. Marriott, Andrew P. Bagnasco, Ronald Jay Pierik
  • Publication number: 20110196567
    Abstract: A method and control module includes a pressure sensor data comparison module that compares measured pressure volume signal segments to ideal pressure volume segments. A valve actuation hardware remedy module performs a hardware remedy in response to comparing the measured pressure volume signal segments to the ideal pressure volume segments when a valve actuation hardware failure is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Wiles, Craig D. Marriott
  • Publication number: 20110144894
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling an engine having a plurality of cylinders is provided. The method includes: selectively releasing stored air from an accumulator to a first cylinder of the plurality of cylinders; and controlling at least one of fuel and spark to a second cylinder of the plurality of cylinders during a compression stroke of the second cylinder, where the second cylinder is a next available cylinder to fire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Craig D. Marriott, Hamid Vahabzadeh
  • Patent number: 7931008
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes an injector control module, a current detection module, and a position determination module. The injector control module controls current through a solenoid of a fuel injector for a predetermined period. The current detection module measures an amount of current through the solenoid after the predetermined period. The position determination module determines whether the fuel injector injected fuel during the predetermined period based on when the amount of current through the solenoid is less than or equal to a predetermined current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Craig D. Marriott, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Publication number: 20110073069
    Abstract: A variable valve actuation (VVA) system comprises a spark control module and a phaser control module. The spark control module maintains a spark timing of a cylinder at a maximum braking torque (MBT) spark timing during engine idling. The phaser control module, during the engine idling, adjusts an intake valve timing of the cylinder away from a predetermined intake valve timing. The predetermined intake valve timing corresponds to a maximum air per cylinder (APC) for the cylinder at a current engine speed. The adjustment of the intake valve timing produces an APC that is less than the maximum APC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Craig D. Marriott, Matthew A. Wiles
  • Publication number: 20110061614
    Abstract: A camshaft assembly may include a first shaft adapted to be rotationally driven, a first lobe member fixed for rotation with the first shaft, and a torsional damper fixed to the first shaft. The torsional damper may include a mass structure fixed to the first shaft and an elastic member disposed between and coupling the mass structure and the first shaft. The elastic member may have a spring constant providing a first sideband natural frequency and a second sideband natural frequency for the camshaft assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: CRAIG D. MARRIOTT, HONG WAI NGUYEN, RONALD JAY PIERIK
  • Patent number: 7891329
    Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention provides a lash adjuster feed channel for an engine assembly. The engine assembly includes first and second sets of hydraulic lash adjusters responsive to a variation in hydraulic fluid pressure to cause a variation in lift of first and second sets of engine valves respectively operatively connected thereto. The cylinder head defines a first feed passage in fluid communication with the first set of hydraulic lash adjusters, and a second feed passage in fluid communication with the second set of hydraulic lash adjusters. The valve lift of the first set of engine valves is independently variable by controlling the transfer of hydraulic pressure in the first feed passage, and the valve lift of the second set of engine valves is independently variable by controlling the transfer of hydraulic pressure in the second feed passage. A corresponding method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Timothy L. Neal, Vimesh M. Patel, Craig D. Marriott
  • Publication number: 20110023836
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes an injector control module, a current detection module, and a position determination module. The injector control module controls current through a solenoid of a fuel injector for a predetermined period. The current detection module measures an amount of current through the solenoid after the predetermined period. The position determination module determines whether the fuel injector injected fuel during the predetermined period based on when the amount of current through the solenoid is less than or equal to a predetermined current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: DOUGLAS R. VERNER, CRAIG D. MARRIOTT, KENNETH J. BUSLEPP
  • Publication number: 20110016958
    Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for operating the same includes a pressure monitoring module generating a diagnostic pressure signal and a camshaft driven engine component correction module generating an engine component oil pressure correction signal and generating a corrected diagnostic pressure signal based on the diagnostic pressure signal and the engine component oil pressure signal. The system further includes a diagnostic module generating a failed variable valve lift mechanism signal based on the corrected diagnostic pressure signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cinpinski, Craig D. Marriott, Andrew P. Bagnasco, Ronald Jay Pierik
  • Patent number: 7849839
    Abstract: A method of pre-heating a fuel in an internal combustion engine includes inducing a current in a solenoid coil of a fuel injector of the internal combustion engine and heating the fuel within the fuel injector using heat generated by the current before initiating a combustion cycle of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Inventor: Craig D. Marriott
  • Patent number: 7832374
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for pressurization of a fuel line of an engine. In one embodiment, a fuel charging system for an engine is provided. The fuel charging system includes a first fuel pump in fluid communication with a fuel tank to generate a first fluid pressure within a first fuel line. The fuel charging system also includes a second fluid pump having a reciprocating piston including a low pressure end and a high pressure end. The low pressure end is in fluid communication with the first fuel pump through the first fuel line and the high pressure end is in fluid communication with an engine fuel rail through a second fuel line. The reciprocating piston is driven by the first fluid pressure to generate a second fluid pressure within the second fuel line, wherein the second fluid pressure is greater than the first fluid pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas R Verner, Craig D Marriott, Kenneth J Buslepp, Jeff L Swain
  • Publication number: 20100095935
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for pressurization of a fuel line of an engine. In one embodiment, a fuel charging system for an engine is provided. The fuel charging system includes a first fuel pump in fluid communication with a fuel tank to generate a first fluid pressure within a first fuel line. The fuel charging system also includes a second fluid pump having a reciprocating piston including a low pressure end and a high pressure end. The low pressure end is in fluid communication with the first fuel pump through the first fuel line and the high pressure end is in fluid communication with an engine fuel rail through a second fuel line. The reciprocating piston is driven by the first fluid pressure to generate a second fluid pressure within the second fuel line, wherein the second fluid pressure is greater than the first fluid pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Craig D. Marriott, Kenneth J. Buslepp, Jeff L. Swain
  • Patent number: 7685976
    Abstract: A tuned induction control system for an engine at or near full load having a piston that is reciprocally disposed in a cylinder includes a first module that actuates an intake valve associated with the cylinder and a second module that determines a second intake valve open timing based on an intake air temperature, pressure and an engine speed. The first module actuates the intake valve during a first intake event and actuates the intake valve during a second intake event that is subsequent to the first intake event. The first and second intake events occur during a common intake stroke of the piston and the intake valve is opened at the second intake valve open timing during the second intake event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig D. Marriott