Patents by Inventor Daniel G. Brennan

Daniel G. Brennan 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: 10287995
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a cylinder control module that deactivates and reactivates a cylinder of an engine based on a driver torque request while an ignition system associated with the engine is in an on position. A firing order module selectively adjusts a firing order of the engine based on a time when the cylinder is reactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 10094312
    Abstract: A method to adjust an oil control valve actuation response time using cylinder valve diagnostic results includes commanding an engine cylinder to deactivate/reactive when conditions are met and then detecting if a deactivation/reactivation response time failure has occurred by analyzing the cylinder diagnostics results. If a predetermined number of failures are detected at the cylinder within a predetermined number of engine cycles then the engine controller operates to adjust the oil control valve response time to improve the response time accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Allen B. Rayl, Jr., Brian K. Kowalczyk
  • Publication number: 20180142636
    Abstract: A method to adjust an oil control valve actuation response time using cylinder valve diagnostic results includes commanding an engine cylinder to deactivate/reactive when conditions are met and then detecting if a deactivation/reactivation response time failure has occurred by analyzing the cylinder diagnostics results. If a predetermined number of failures are detected at the cylinder within a predetermined number of engine cycles then the engine controller operates to adjust the oil control valve response time to improve the response time accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Allen B. Rayl, Jr., Brian K. Kowalczyk
  • Patent number: 9719439
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a cylinder activation module and a spark timing module. The cylinder activation module selectively deactivates and reactivates a cylinder of an engine based on a driver torque request. When the cylinder is deactivated, the spark timing module selectively increases an amount by which spark timing of at least one active cylinder of the engine is retarded based on noise and vibration generated by the engine when the cylinder is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Sanjeev M. Naik
  • Publication number: 20170107917
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a cylinder control module that deactivates and reactivates a cylinder of an engine based on a driver torque request while an ignition system associated with the engine is in an on position. A firing order module selectively adjusts a firing order of the engine based on a time when the cylinder is reactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Allen B. RAYL, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 9605612
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a firing fraction module, an engine speed module, and an actuator control module. The firing fraction module determines a target firing fraction corresponding to a target number of activated cylinders out of a first number of cylinders in a firing order of an engine. The first number is a denominator of the target firing fraction. The engine speed module determines a plurality of periods based on a crankshaft position signal, with each of the periods corresponding to a predetermined amount of crankshaft rotation. The engine speed module determines the speed of the engine based on the plurality of periods and the target firing fraction. The actuator control module controls an actuator of at least one of the engine and a torque converter based on the engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 9567928
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a cylinder control module and a valve control module. The cylinder control module deactivates and reactivates a cylinder of an engine based on a driver torque request while an ignition system associated with the engine is in an on position. The valve control module selectively adjusts a period for which at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the cylinder are opened based on a first time when the cylinder is reactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 9534550
    Abstract: A cylinder control system of a vehicle includes a cylinder control module and an air per cylinder (APC) prediction module. The cylinder control module determines a desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The cylinder control module also activates and deactivates valves of cylinders of an engine based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The APC prediction module predicts an amount of air that will be trapped within a next activated cylinder in a firing order of the cylinders based on a cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order. Q is an integer greater than one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gregory P. Matthews, Zhiping Steven Liu, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Publication number: 20160363067
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a firing fraction module, an engine speed module, and an actuator control module. The firing fraction module determines a target firing fraction corresponding to a target number of activated cylinders out of a first number of cylinders in a firing order of an engine. The first number is a denominator of the target firing fraction. The engine speed module determines a plurality of periods based on a crankshaft position signal, with each of the periods corresponding to a predetermined amount of crankshaft rotation. The engine speed module determines the speed of the engine based on the plurality of periods and the target firing fraction. The actuator control module controls an actuator of at least one of the engine and a torque converter based on the engine speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventor: Daniel G. BRENNAN
  • Patent number: 9482173
    Abstract: An indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) module determines IMEPs for combustion cycles of cylinders of an engine, respectively. A coldstart indication module indicates whether the engine is in a cold state after a startup of the engine. A fueling correction module, when the engine is in the cold state, selectively increases a fueling correction for one of the cylinders based on the IMEP of the one of the cylinders. An equivalence ratio (EQR) module selectively increases an EQR of the one of the cylinders based on the fueling correction for the one of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Julian R. Verdejo, Bruce F. Hunter, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 9458779
    Abstract: An engine control system of a vehicle includes a manifold temperature module, a runner temperature module. The manifold temperature module determines a first temperature of gas in an intake manifold of an engine. The runner temperature module determines a second temperature of gas in an intake runner associated with a cylinder based on the first temperature of the gas in the intake manifold. The engine control system further includes at least one of: a fuel control module that controls fueling of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner; and a spark control module that controls spark of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Gregory P. Matthews, Layne K. Wiggins
  • Patent number: 9376973
    Abstract: A cylinder control system of a vehicle, includes a cylinder control module and a volumetric efficiency (VE) module. The cylinder control module determines a desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The cylinder control module also activates and deactivates valves of cylinders of an engine based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The VE module determines a volumetric efficiency based on a cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order. Q is an integer greater than one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Gregory P. Matthews, Layne K. Wiggins
  • Publication number: 20160047328
    Abstract: An indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) module determines IMEPs for combustion cycles of cylinders of an engine, respectively. A coldstart indication module indicates whether the engine is in a cold state after a startup of the engine. A fueling correction module, when the engine is in the cold state, selectively increases a fueling correction for one of the cylinders based on the IMEP of the one of the cylinders. An equivalence ratio (EQR) module selectively increases an EQR of the one of the cylinders based on the fueling correction for the one of the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: KENNETH J. BUSLEPP, JULIAN R. VERDEJO, BRUCE F. HUNTER, DANIEL G. BRENNAN
  • Patent number: 9249749
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a vibration characteristics module and a firing pattern module. The vibration characteristics module, for a first plurality of firing patterns of an engine when a cylinder of the engine is deactivated, stores vibration characteristics associated with at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, and a phase of vibration at a driver interface component resulting from the first plurality of firing patterns. The firing pattern module selects a firing pattern from a second plurality of firing patterns and executes the firing pattern when the vibration characteristics associated with the selected firing pattern satisfies predetermined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 9169787
    Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle includes an air control module and a valve control module. The air control module determines a desired mass of air per cylinder (APC) based on a torque request and selectively increases the desired APC in response to a command to deactivate N cylinders of an engine. The valve control module disables intake and exhaust valves of the N cylinders of the engine in response to the command, determines intake and exhaust valve timing based on the desired APC, and controls camless intake and exhaust valve actuators of M other cylinders based on the intake and exhaust valve timing, respectively. The engine includes Q cylinders, M and N are integers greater than zero, and M plus N equals Q.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 9097196
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a time stamping module, a period determination module, a stochastic pre-ignition (SPI) indication module, and an SPI remediation module. The time stamping module generates first and second timestamps when a crankshaft of an engine is in first and second crankshaft positions during an engine cycle, respectively. The period determination module determines a period between the first and second timestamps. The SPI indication module selectively indicates that an SPI event occurred within a cylinder of the engine based on the period. The SPI remediation module selectively adjusts at least one engine operating parameter in response to the SPI indication module indicating that the SPI event occurred within the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Daniel G. Brennan, Julian R. Verdejo, David S. Mathews
  • Patent number: 9002550
    Abstract: A torque estimation system for a vehicle comprises an operating parameter module, a torque estimation module, and an estimation control module. The operating parameter module determines an estimated engine operating parameter based on engine speed. The torque estimation module estimates engine torque based on the engine speed and the estimated engine operating parameter. The estimation control module provides a plurality of engine speeds to the operating parameter module and the torque estimation module to determine estimated engine torque as a function of engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Leonard G. Wozniak, Robert C. Simon, Jr., Jeffrey M. Kaiser, Emil Ritzen, Mats A. Reimark, Richard M. Backman, Magnus Wall, Thomas Magnusson
  • Patent number: 8839750
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Craig D. Marriott, Joel Cowgill, Matthew A. Wiles, Kenneth James Patton
  • Patent number: 8781713
    Abstract: A system for controlling an engine in a vehicle according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a fuel control module and a valve control module. The fuel control module controls fuel delivery to a cylinder of the engine. The valve control module closes an exhaust valve of the cylinder when fuel delivery to the cylinder is disabled during operation of the vehicle and exhaust gas has been exhausted from the cylinder after fuel delivery to the cylinder is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Steven Joseph Swantick
  • Publication number: 20140190448
    Abstract: An engine control system of a vehicle includes a manifold temperature module, a runner temperature module. The manifold temperature module determines a first temperature of gas in an intake manifold of an engine. The runner temperature module determines a second temperature of gas in an intake runner associated with a cylinder based on the first temperature of the gas in the intake manifold. The engine control system further includes at least one of: a fuel control module that controls fueling of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner; and a spark control module that controls spark of the cylinder based on the second temperature of the gas in the intake runner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Gregory P. Matthews, Layne K. Wiggins