Patents by Inventor George A. Brunemann

George A. Brunemann 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: 9199634
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle powertrain system where the powertrain system includes a fuel controlled engine, an electric motor, and a battery, the fuel, controlled engine and the electric motor capable of powering the powertrain system. The powertrain system is capable of operating in a plurality of operational modes. The method includes detecting a current value representative of a current flowing through a portion of the battery, calculating a first value representative of the current over a predetermined amount of time, and de-rating at least one of the plurality of operational modes in response to the calculated first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Connolly, Xiaosong Kang, George A. Brunemann
  • Patent number: 8738256
    Abstract: A method of determining a torque transfer touch point of a clutch within a drive train includes applying a predetermined amount of current to an electric motor such that the electric motor will apply a torque to at least a portion of a clutch. The predetermined amount of current will not rotate a shaft of the motor when the clutch is at least partially engaged. The method also includes initiating disengagement of the clutch, detecting movement of at least a portion of the motor, and recording a clutch parameter that is generally coincident with the detecting movement of a least a portion of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Connolly, George A. Brunemann, Matthew P. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140114524
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle powertrain system where the powertrain system includes a fuel controlled engine, an electric motor, and a battery, the fuel, controlled engine and the electric motor capable of powering the powertrain system. The powertrain system is capable of operating in a plurality of operational modes. The method includes detecting a current value representative of a current flowing through a portion of the battery, calculating a first value representative of the current over a predetermined amount of time, and de-rating at least one of the plurality of operational modes in response to the calculated first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Connolly, Xiaosong Kang, George A. Brunemann
  • Patent number: 8616312
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle powertrain system where the powertrain system includes a fuel controlled engine, an electric motor, and a battery, the fuel, controlled engine and the electric motor capable of powering the powertrain system. The powertrain system is capable of operating in a plurality of operational modes. The method includes detecting a current value representative of a current flowing through a portion of the battery, calculating a first value representative of the current over a predetermined amount of time, and de-rating at least one of the plurality of operational modes in response to the calculated first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Connolly, Xiaosong Kang, George A. Brunemann
  • Publication number: 20110048823
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle powertrain system where the powertrain system includes a fuel controlled engine, an electric motor, and a battery, the fuel, controlled engine and the electric motor capable of powering the powertrain system. The powertrain system is capable of operating in a plurality of operational modes. The method includes detecting a current value representative of a current flowing through a portion of the battery, calculating a first value representative of the current over a predetermined amount of time, and de-rating at least one of the plurality of operational modes in response to the calculated first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas R. Connolly, Xiaosong Kang, George A. Brunemann, JR.
  • Publication number: 20100004837
    Abstract: A method of determining a torque transfer touch point of a clutch within a drive train includes applying a predetermined amount of current to an electric motor such that the electric motor will apply a torque to at least a portion of a clutch. The predetermined amount of current will not rotate a shaft of the motor when the clutch is at least partially engaged. The method also includes initiating disengagement of the clutch, detecting movement of at least a portion of the motor, and recording a clutch parameter that is generally coincident with the detecting movement of a least a portion of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Tom Connolly, George A. Brunemann, Matthew P. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7463962
    Abstract: A method for determining a shift point strategy in a hybrid vehicle includes providing at least two power sources, selectively coupling the two or more power sources to a hybrid vehicle transmission, defining an input shaft speed for best acceleration, defining an input shaft speed for best fuel economy, determining driver intent compared to the best acceleration and the best fuel economy, and setting a shift point of the hybrid vehicle transmission based, at least in part, on the driver intent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: George A. Brunemann, Larry J. Brackney
  • Patent number: 6954693
    Abstract: A system for controlling exhaust emissions produced by an internal combustion engine includes an engine controller having an emission manager configured to produce a base emission level cap command, corresponding to a maximum allowable emission level of the engine, as a function of at least altitude and ambient temperature. The emission manager may also include one or more auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs), and the emission manager is further operable in such cases to determine a maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. A final emission level cap command is determined as a function of the base emission level cap command and the maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. The emission manager is further operable to produce a protection state data structure that includes information relating to the operational status of each AECD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry J. Brackney, Thomas A. Dollmeyer, George A. Brunemann
  • Publication number: 20040186655
    Abstract: A system for controlling exhaust emissions produced by an internal combustion engine includes an engine controller having an emission manager configured to produce a base emission level cap command, corresponding to a maximum allowable emission level of the engine, as a function of at least altitude and ambient temperature. The emission manager may also include one or more auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs), and the emission manager is further operable in such cases to determine a maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. A final emission level cap command is determined as a function of the base emission level cap command and the maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. The emission manager is further operable to produce a protection state data structure that includes information relating to the operational status of each AECD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Larry J. Brackney, Thomas A. Dollmeyer, George A. Brunemann
  • Patent number: 6718251
    Abstract: A system for controlling exhaust emissions produced by an internal combustion engine includes an engine controller having an emission manager configured to produce a base emission level cap command, corresponding to a maximum allowable emission level of the engine, as a function of at least altitude and ambient temperature. The emission manager may also include one or more auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs), and the emission manager is further operable in such cases to determine a maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. A final emission level cap command is determined as a function of the base emission level cap command and the maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. The emission manager is further operable to produce a protection state data structure that includes information relating to the operational status of each AECD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry J. Brackney, Thomas A. Dollmeyer, George A. Brunemann
  • Patent number: 6705301
    Abstract: A combustion manager portion of an engine controller is responsive to ambient air density and engine temperature signals to schedule charge flow and EGR fraction commands. The combustion manager includes a data structure determination block operable to select an appropriate engine speed/engine fueling data structure based on air density and engine temperature information as well as on desired emissions level and engine operating state (i.e., steady state or transient) information. Charge flow and EGR fraction determination blocks are, in turn, responsive to current engine speed and engine fueling information to produce compute the EGR fraction and charge flow commands as a function of the selected engine speed/engine fueling data structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Dollmeyer, Larry J. Brackney, George A. Brunemann, Steve Charlton
  • Publication number: 20030140906
    Abstract: A combustion manager portion of an engine controller is responsive to ambient air density and engine temperature signals to schedule charge flow and EGR fraction commands. The combustion manager includes a data structure determination block operable to select an appropriate engine speed/engine fueling data structure based on air density and engine temperature information as well as on desired emissions level and engine operating state (i.e., steady state or transient) information. Charge flow and EGR fraction determination blocks are, in turn, responsive to current engine speed and engine fueling information to produce compute the EGR fraction and charge flow commands as a function of the selected engine speed/engine fueling data structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas A. Dollmeyer, Larry J. Brackney, George A. Brunemann
  • Publication number: 20030144788
    Abstract: A system for controlling exhaust emissions produced by an internal combustion engine includes an engine controller having an emission manager configured to produce a base emission level cap command, corresponding to a maximum allowable emission level of the engine, as a function of at least altitude and ambient temperature. The emission manager may also include one or more auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs), and the emission manager is further operable in such cases to determine a maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. A final emission level cap command is determined as a function of the base emission level cap command and the maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. The emission manager is further operable to produce a protection state data structure that includes information relating to the operational status of each AECD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Larry J. Brackney, Thomas A. Dollmeyer, George A. Brunemann
  • Patent number: 5486997
    Abstract: A predictor algorithm for an actuator control is provided in a servo-actuator system. The predictor algorithm receives a signal representative of the torque motor current supplied to the servovalve controlling the actuator and uses that signal to predict the change in actuator position over a single time interval. If the measured actuator position for the previous time interval is within the maximum value and the minimum value for that time interval, then the next maximum and minimum values are calculated by adding the predicted change to the previous measured signal. If the measured actuator signal for the previous time interval is outside the maximum and minimum values for that time interval, then the next maximum and minimum values are calculated by adding the predicted change to the previous maximum and minimum values. A fault is indicated when the measured signal falls outside the maximum and minimum values for a predetermined number of time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul R. Reismiller, George A. Brunemann, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5469447
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for selecting a valid signal from a plurality of redundant sensor signals wherein the sensor signals may include a plurality of measured and modelled signals. The invention comprises a circuit for generating a plurality of first pass/fail signals by performing a series of tests on the sensor signals. The invention further comprises circuitry for assigning a plurality of weighted values to each of the measured sensor signals according to the first and second pass/fail signals wherein the second pass/fail signals are initialized as pass signals. The invention further comprises of circuitry for summing the weighted values for each measured sensor signal and generating second pass/fail signals for each measured sensor signal. The invention also includes circuitry for assigning selection flags to each sensor signal according to the first and second pass/fail signals and circuitry for selecting the valid signal from the selection flags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: George A. Brunemann, Jr., Paul R. Reismiller