Patents by Inventor David George Farmer
David George Farmer 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).
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Patent number: 7891340Abstract: A method for operating a fuel delivery system with a first pressure pump fluidly coupled to a second higher pressure pump is described. In one example, the fuel pumps are adjusted based on measured fuel pressure during a first condition. The fuel pumps are adjusted independent of the measured fuel pressure during a second condition.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, David George Farmer, Davor David Hrovat
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Patent number: 7640794Abstract: As one example, a method of operating an engine system including a first air intake passage branch including a first compression device and a second air intake passage branch including a second compression device, wherein each of the first branch and the second branch are fluidly coupled to at least a combustion chamber the engine via a common intake passage, a first sensor arranged along the first branch and at least a second sensor arranged along the common intake passage, wherein the first sensor is a mass airflow sensor and wherein the second branch does not include a mass airflow sensor. The method comprises increasing the mass airflow through the first branch relative to the mass airflow through the second branch when an amount of decrease in the mass airflow through the first branch is more than half an amount of a corresponding decrease in the combined mass airflow.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: David George Farmer
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Publication number: 20090276141Abstract: A method for operating a fuel delivery system with a first pressure pump fluidly coupled to a second higher pressure pump and a fuel rail including adjusting pump operation of at least one of the first and second pumps during engine starting, the variation based on engine starting conditions. When the pressure rise during the start is correlated to an expected response, further adjusting pump operation based on measured fuel pressure, and when pressure rise during the start is less than the expected response, further adjusting pump operation independent from measured fuel pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2008Publication date: November 5, 2009Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, David George Farmer, Davor David Hrovat
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Publication number: 20090064677Abstract: As one example, a method of operating an engine system including a first air intake passage branch including a first compression device and a second air intake passage branch including a second compression device, wherein each of the first branch and the second branch are fluidly coupled to at least a combustion chamber the engine via a common intake passage, a first sensor arranged along the first branch and at least a second sensor arranged along the common intake passage, wherein the first sensor is a mass airflow sensor and wherein the second branch does not include a mass airflow sensor. The method comprises increasing the mass airflow through the first branch relative to the mass airflow through the second branch when an amount of decrease in the mass airflow through the first branch is more than half an amount of a corresponding decrease in the combined mass airflow.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: David George Farmer
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Patent number: 7300381Abstract: A method and system for controlling output torque of an internal combustion engine during a gearshift in an automatic shift manual transmission coupled to the engine is disclosed. The transmission includes a multiplicity of gears and a clutch actuated by a transmission control unit (TCU), which controls clutch disengagement, gear change, and clutch re-engagement. The engine includes an engine control unit in communication with the TCU. The method includes determining engine operator demanded engine torque; sending a signal to the engine control unit in response to actuation of the clutch; and, computing in the engine control unit in response to the sent clutch actuation signal and the determined engine operator demanded engine torque, a control signal for the engine, such engine, in response to such control signal changing engine torque during the gear change to substantially match demanded engine torque when the clutch is re-engaged.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2002Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Edward Badillo, Ace K. Kue, David Oshinsky, David George Farmer, Donald Fenwick Dickison
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Patent number: 6796117Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes a three-way catalyst and a NOx device located downstream of the three-way catalyst. The device is preconditioned for emissions reduction at engine operating conditions about stoichiometry by substantially filling the device with oxygen and NOx; and purging stored oxygen and stored NOx from only an upstream portion of the device, whereupon the upstream portion of the device operates to store oxygen and NOx during subsequent lean transients while the downstream portion of the device operates to reduce excess HC and CO during subsequent rich transients.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David George Farmer, Gopichandra Surnilla
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Patent number: 6751567Abstract: A system (12) and method for determining the closed position of a throttle plate 52 of an internal combustion engine (10) are provided. The system (12) includes a throttle sensor (56), a temperature sensor (70 or 86), and an electronic control unit (ECU) (72). The throttle sensor (56) generates a signal indicative of the position of the throttle plate (52). The temperature sensor (70 or 86) generates a signal indicative of the temperature of a throttle body (50) of the engine (10). The ECU (72) is configured to select one of a first closed position value indicated by throttle sensor (56) signal and a second closed position value retrieved from a memory (94) responsive to the measured temperature. The inventive system is able to minimize inaccuracies in throttle plate position detection by eliminating errors resulting from a change in geometry between the throttle plate (52) and the throttle body (50) of the engine during relatively high temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2001Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David George Farmer, David Oshinsky, Edward Badillo
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Publication number: 20040106498Abstract: A method and system for controlling output torque of an internal combustion engine during a gearshift in an automatic shift manual transmission coupled to the engine is disclosed. The transmission includes a multiplicity of gears and a clutch actuated by a transmission control unit (TCU), which controls clutch disengagement, gear change, and clutch re-engagement. The engine includes an engine control unit in communication with the TCU. The method includes determining engine operator demanded engine torque; sending a signal to the engine control unit in response to actuation of the clutch; and, computing in the engine control unit in response to the sent clutch actuation signal and the determined engine operator demanded engine torque, a control signal for the engine, such engine, in response to such control signal changing engine torque during the gear change to substantially match demanded engine torque when the clutch is re-engaged.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2002Publication date: June 3, 2004Inventors: Edward Badillo, Ace K. Kue, David Oshinsky, David George Farmer, Donald Fenwick Dickison
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Patent number: 6735937Abstract: A control method for an internal combustion engine has multiple cylinder groups with at least one control device positioned between an intake manifold and a cylinder group. The engine operates the cylinder groups at different air/fuel ratio and uses the control device to balance torque produced by the different cylinder groups. In one aspect of the invention, one cylinder group is operated rich and another cylinder group is operated lean thereby providing heat to an exhaust system located downstream of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2001Date of Patent: May 18, 2004Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Sumilla, Jing Sun, David George Farmer, Ilya V. Kolmanovsky
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Patent number: 6651621Abstract: A closed throttle position of a vehicle internal combustion engine is determined by storing a plurality of signal values representative of previous foot-off position values of an accelerator pedal (10) within a normal range of pedal positions, determining a current foot-off position value of the accelerator pedal, comparing the current foot-off position value to an average of the previous stored foot-off position values, and using the average as the closed pedal position to determine a closed throttle position when the comparison is indicative of an abnormal pedal position.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2001Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David George Farmer, David Oshinsky, Stanley Larue Bower, Jr.
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Patent number: 6650991Abstract: A vehicle exhaust treatment system includes an emission control device featuring at least one upstream NOx-storing “brick,” and a downstream NOx-storing “brick” that is substantially smaller in nominal capacity than the upstream brick. An oxygen sensor positioned between the upstream and downstream bricks generates an output signal representing the concentration of oxygen in the device. A controller selects a rich operating condition to purge the device of stored NOx, and deselects the rich, NOx-purging engine operating condition in response to the sensor output signal, preferably after an additional time delay calculated to provide sufficient excess hydrocarbons to release substantially all stored NOx from the downstream brick.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2001Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David George Farmer, Gopichandra Surnilla
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Patent number: 6604504Abstract: An exhaust treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes a catalytic emission control device. When transitioning the engine between a lean operating condition and a stoichiometric operating condition, as when scheduling a purge of the downstream device to thereby release an amount of a selected exhaust gas constituent, such as NOx, that has been stored in the downstream device during the lean operating condition, the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture supplied to each cylinder is sequentially stepped from an air-fuel ratio of at least about 18 to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The purge event is preferably commenced when all but one cylinders has been stepped to stoichiometric operation, with the air-fuel mixture supplied to the last cylinder being stepped immediately to an air-fuel ratio rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, David George Farmer
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Publication number: 20030106527Abstract: A closed throttle position of a vehicle internal combustion engine is determined by storing a plurality of signal values representative of previous foot-off position values of an accelerator pedal (10) within a normal range of pedal positions, determining a current foot-off position value of the accelerator pedal, comparing the current foot-off position value to an average of the previous stored foot-off position values, and using the average as the closed pedal position to determine a closed throttle position when the comparison is indicative of an abnormal pedal position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2001Publication date: June 12, 2003Inventors: David George Farmer, David Oshinsky, Stanley Larue Bower
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Publication number: 20030101014Abstract: A system (12) and method for determining the closed position of a throttle plate 52 of an internal combustion engine (10) are provided. The system (12) includes a throttle sensor (56), a temperature sensor (70 or 86), and an electronic control unit (ECU) (72). The throttle sensor (56) generates a signal indicative of the position of the throttle plate (52). The temperature sensor (70 or 86) generates a signal indicative of the temperature of a throttle body (50) of the engine (10). The ECU (72) is configured to select one of a first closed position value indicated by throttle sensor (56) signal and a second closed position value retrieved from a memory (94) responsive to the measured temperature. The inventive system is able to minimize inaccuracies in throttle plate position detection by eliminating errors resulting from a change in geometry between the throttle plate (52) and the throttle body (50) of the engine during relatively high temperatures.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2001Publication date: May 29, 2003Inventors: David George Farmer, David Oshinsky, Edward Badillo
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Patent number: 6539706Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes a three-way catalyst and a NOx device located downstream of the three-way catalyst. The device is preconditioned for emissions reduction at engine operating conditions about stoichiometry by substantially filling the device with oxygen and NOx; and purging stored oxygen and stored NOx from only an upstream portion of the device, whereupon the upstream portion of the device operates to store oxygen and NOx during subsequent lean transients while the downstream portion of the device operates to reduce excess HC and CO during subsequent rich transients.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2001Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: David George Farmer, Gopichandra Surnilla
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Publication number: 20030037541Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes a three-way catalyst and a NOx device located downstream of the three-way catalyst. The device is preconditioned for emissions reduction at engine operating conditions about stoichiometry by substantially filling the device with oxygen and NOx; and purging stored oxygen and stored NOx from only an upstream portion of the device, whereupon the upstream portion of the device operates to store oxygen and NOx during subsequent lean transients while the downstream portion of the device operates to reduce excess HC and CO during subsequent rich transients.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2002Publication date: February 27, 2003Inventors: David George Farmer, Gopichandra Surnilla
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Publication number: 20020189241Abstract: A method and system for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine, wherein exhaust gas generated by the engine is directed through an emission control device, includes determining instantaneous rates of storage for a constituent of the exhaust gas, such as NOx, as well as the capacity reduction of the device to store the exhaust gas constituent as a function of a calculated value representing an amount of SOx which has accumulated in the device since a prior device-regeneration (desulfation) event. The calculated accumulated SOx value is also preferably used to schedule a device-regeneration event, as when the calculated accumulated SOx value exceeds a predetermined threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2001Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventors: David George Farmer, Gopichandra Surnilla, Michael John Cullen
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Publication number: 20020189242Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes a three-way catalyst and a NOx device located downstream of the three-way catalyst. The device is preconditioned for emissions reduction at engine operating conditions about stoichiometry by substantially filling the device with oxygen and NOx; and purging stored oxygen and stored NOx from only an upstream portion of the device, whereupon the upstream portion of the device operates to store oxygen and NOx during subsequent lean transients while the downstream portion of the device operates to reduce excess HC and CO during subsequent rich transients.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2001Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventors: David George Farmer, Gopichandra Surnilla
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Publication number: 20020189580Abstract: An exhaust treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes a catalytic emission control device. When transitioning the engine between a lean operating condition and a stoichiometric operating condition, as when scheduling a purge of the downstream device to thereby release an amount of a selected exhaust gas constituent, such as NOx, that has been stored in the downstream device during the lean operating condition, the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture supplied to each cylinder is sequentially stepped from an air-fuel ratio of at least about 18 to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The purge event is preferably commenced when all but one cylinders has been stepped to stoichiometric operation, with the air-fuel mixture supplied to the last cylinder being stepped immediately to an air-fuel ratio rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2001Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, David George Farmer
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Publication number: 20020193934Abstract: A vehicle exhaust treatment system includes an emission control device featuring at least one upstream NOx-storing “brick,” and a downstream NOx-storing “brick” that is substantially smaller in nominal capacity than the upstream brick. An oxygen sensor positioned between the upstream and downstream bricks generates an output signal representing the concentration of oxygen in the device. A controller selects a rich operating condition to purge the device of stored NOx, and deselects the rich, NOx-purging engine operating condition in response to the sensor output signal, preferably after an additional time delay calculated to provide sufficient excess hydrocarbons to release substantially all stored NOx from the downstream brick.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2001Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventors: David George Farmer, Gopichandra Surnilla