Patents by Inventor Harry Burleson

Harry Burleson 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: 8354016
    Abstract: A method for sensing an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gasses from an engine of a vehicle using a sensor is provided. The method may comprise pumping a current in a pumping cell during; reducing said pumping during a set of operating conditions; and adjusting a fuel injection amount or an air amount into the engine to maintain a desired air-fuel ratio based on the sensor. In this way, a reference voltage can be driven by chemical reactions to equilibrate and provide an accurate indication of stoichiometry, similar to a HEGO sensor. Likewise, outside of stoichiometry, the reference voltage is controlled in a one-sided fashion via positive and negative pumping current at respective voltage limits to provide an indication of air-fuel ratio over a wide range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James M. Kerns, Harry Burleson
  • Publication number: 20090090339
    Abstract: A method for sensing an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gasses from an engine of a vehicle using a sensor, the sensor having a pumping cell and a reference cell, the method comprising pumping a current in the pumping cell during at least a first set of operating conditions; reducing said pumping during at least a second set of operating conditions; providing a signal from the sensor during at least the first and second sets of operating conditions; and adjusting at least one of a fuel injection amount and an air amount into the engine to maintain a desired air-fuel ratio based on the signal during at least the first and second sets of operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: James M. Kerns, Harry Burleson
  • Patent number: 7449092
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor for measuring exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine is described. The sensor provides an output that has a high gain near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and a lower gain in the lean and rich air-fuel ratio regions. Further, the sensor provides wide range air-fuel ratio signal to be used in engine feedback control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James M. Kerns, Harry Burleson
  • Publication number: 20050133381
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor for measuring exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine is described. The sensor provides an output that has a high gain near the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and a lower gain in the lean and rich air-fuel ratio regions. Further, the sensor provides wide range air-fuel ratio signal to be used in engine feedback control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: James Kerns, Harry Burleson