Patents by Inventor Darrell Erick Butler

Darrell Erick Butler 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: 20240181829
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to use front load estimates for body control are disclosed herein. An example vehicle includes a front axle, a suspension system including a suspension element, and a processor to execute instructions to generate, based on a load on the front axle and a velocity of the vehicle, a body control adjustment, determine a modified body control output based on the body control adjustment and an unmodified body control output, and apply the modified body control output to the suspension element of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2024
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Daniel Lee Grohnke, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Patent number: 11945277
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to use front load estimates for body control are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes memory including stored instructions, and a processor to execute the instructions to filter sensor data to generate a first load value, the first load value associated with a first load on a front axle of a vehicle, generate, based on the first load value and a velocity of the vehicle, a first body control adjustment value, modify a body control output value with the first body control adjustment value, and apply the modified body control output value to a suspension system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Daniel Lee Grohnke, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Patent number: 11731478
    Abstract: A system for damping control for a vehicle includes a parameter component and a damping adjustment component. The parameter component is configured to determine one or more driving parameters of a vehicle. The one or more driving parameters include a velocity of the vehicle. The damping adjustment component is configured to adjust damping of suspension of the vehicle during driving based on the one or more driving parameters. The damping adjustment component is also configured to adjust damping of suspension at a zero velocity for a threshold time period in response to transitioning from a non-zero velocity to the zero velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Russ Lee Norton, John Keller, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Publication number: 20230100724
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to use front load estimates for body control are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes memory including stored instructions, and a processor to execute the instructions to filter sensor data to generate a first load value, the first load value associated with a first load on a front axle of a vehicle, generate, based on the first load value and a velocity of the vehicle, a first body control adjustment value, modify a body control output value with the first body control adjustment value, and apply the modified body control output value to a suspension system of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Daniel Lee Grohnke, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Publication number: 20210155067
    Abstract: A system for damping control for a vehicle includes a parameter component and a damping adjustment component. The parameter component is configured to determine one or more driving parameters of a vehicle. The one or more driving parameters include a velocity of the vehicle. The damping adjustment component is configured to adjust damping of suspension of the vehicle during driving based on the one or more driving parameters. The damping adjustment component is also configured to adjust damping of suspension at a zero velocity for a threshold time period in response to transitioning from a non-zero velocity to the zero velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Russ Lee Norton, John Keller, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Patent number: 10974564
    Abstract: A system for damping control for a vehicle includes a parameter component and a damping adjustment component. The parameter component is configured to determine one or more driving parameters of a vehicle. The one or more driving parameters include a velocity of the vehicle. The damping adjustment component is configured to adjust damping of suspension of the vehicle during driving based on the one or more driving parameters. The damping adjustment component is also configured to adjust damping of suspension at a zero velocity for a threshold time period in response to transitioning from a non-zero velocity to the zero velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Russ Lee Norton, John Keller, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Publication number: 20190225043
    Abstract: A system for damping control for a vehicle includes a parameter component and a damping adjustment component. The parameter component is configured to determine one or more driving parameters of a vehicle. The one or more driving parameters include a velocity of the vehicle. The damping adjustment component is configured to adjust damping of suspension of the vehicle during driving based on the one or more driving parameters. The damping adjustment component is also configured to adjust damping of suspension at a zero velocity for a threshold time period in response to transitioning from a non-zero velocity to the zero velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Russ Lee Norton, John Keller, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Patent number: 10286745
    Abstract: A system for damping control for a vehicle includes a parameter component and a damping adjustment component. The parameter component is configured to determine one or more driving parameters of a vehicle. The one or more driving parameters include a velocity of the vehicle. The damping adjustment component is configured to adjust damping of suspension of the vehicle during driving based on the one or more driving parameters. The damping adjustment component is also configured to adjust damping of suspension at a zero velocity for a threshold time period in response to transitioning from a non-zero velocity to the zero velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Russ Lee Norton, John Keller, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Publication number: 20180126817
    Abstract: A system for damping control for a vehicle includes a parameter component and a damping adjustment component. The parameter component is configured to determine one or more driving parameters of a vehicle. The one or more driving parameters include a velocity of the vehicle. The damping adjustment component is configured to adjust damping of suspension of the vehicle during driving based on the one or more driving parameters. The damping adjustment component is also configured to adjust damping of suspension at a zero velocity for a threshold time period in response to transitioning from a non-zero velocity to the zero velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Russ Lee Norton, John Keller, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Patent number: 9738132
    Abstract: An active vehicle suspension system includes an active damping mechanism operatively coupled to a vehicle wheel and configured for controlling a damping force applied to the wheel responsive to a control signal. A controller is operatively coupled to the damping mechanism and configured for generating a control signal to the damping mechanism responsive to velocity of the wheel in a downward vertical direction. At least one of a timer threshold and velocity threshold, used to determine whether a vehicle wheel has encountered a depression in a road surface, may be varied on a basis of a speed of the vehicle. A damping mechanism for a rear wheel of a vehicle may be controlled on a basis of how a damping mechanism for a front wheel is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Russ Lee Norton, Benjamin Bulat, William Gregory Suter, Albert Chenouda Salib, David Michael Russell, Uwe Hoffmann, Marc Suermann, Darrell Erick Butler, Louis Joseph Jamail
  • Publication number: 20160339916
    Abstract: A driving mode system for a motor vehicle includes a controller configured to transition from a first driving mode to a second driving mode by transitioning from the first driving mode to an intermediate driving mode and from the intermediate driving mode to the second driving mode. The controller is further configured to calculate the intermediate driving mode based on values for both the first driving mode and the second driving mode and control the motor vehicle according to the second driving mode. Methods of controlling a driving mode of a motor vehicle and vehicles including a driving mode system are further contemplated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Russ Lee NORTON, Darrell Erick BUTLER
  • Publication number: 20160046166
    Abstract: An active vehicle suspension system includes an active damping mechanism operatively coupled to a vehicle wheel and configured for controlling a damping force applied to the wheel responsive to a control signal. A controller is operatively coupled to the damping mechanism and configured for generating a control signal to the damping mechanism responsive to velocity of the wheel in a downward vertical direction. At least one of a timer threshold and velocity threshold, used to determine whether a vehicle wheel has encountered a depression in a road surface, may be varied on a basis of a speed of the vehicle. A damping mechanism for a rear wheel of a vehicle may be controlled on a basis of how a damping mechanism for a front wheel is controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Russ Lee NORTON, Benjamin BULAT, William Gregory SUTER, Albert Chenouda SALIB, David Michael RUSSELL, Uwe HOFFMANN, Marc SUERMANN, Darrell Erick BUTLER, Louis Joseph JAMAIL
  • Patent number: 9027532
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for generating sufficient vacuum to enable a leak detection routine. While a fuel tank pressure is within mechanical limits, fuel vapors are purged from a canister to an engine with an isolation valve open to generate a desired level of vacuum in the fuel tank. Thereafter, the fuel tank is isolated and leak detection is performed concurrent to the purging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark W. Peters, Robert Roy Jentz, Darrell Erick Butler, Aed Mohammad Dudar
  • Publication number: 20130112176
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for generating sufficient vacuum to enable a leak detection routine. While a fuel tank pressure is within mechanical limits, fuel vapors are purged from a canister to an engine with an isolation valve open to generate a desired level of vacuum in the fuel tank. Thereafter, the fuel tank is isolated and leak detection is performed concurrent to the purging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark W. Peters, Robert Roy Jentz, Darrell Erick Butler, Aed Mohammad Dudar
  • Patent number: 7942134
    Abstract: A method for controlling an automotive canister purge valve in fluid communication with an evaporative canister includes selecting a purge flow rate of increase for the purge valve based on a hydrocarbon concentration in a fluid stream exiting the evaporative canister, and operating the purge valve based on the selected rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Mark Peters, Darrell Erick Butler, Kenneth James Miller, Eric J. Bensen, Kenneth L. Pifher
  • Publication number: 20100229837
    Abstract: A method for controlling an automotive canister purge valve in fluid communication with an evaporative canister includes selecting a purge flow rate of increase for the purge valve based on a hydrocarbon concentration in a fluid stream exiting the evaporative canister, and operating the purge valve based on the selected rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Peters, Darrell Erick Butler, Kenneth James Miller, Eric J. Bensen, Kenneth L. Pifher