Patents by Inventor Igor ZANETTI

Igor ZANETTI 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: 10352751
    Abstract: A control apparatus for detecting a variation of a fluid level in a tank is disclosed. The control apparatus includes an Electronic Control Unit connected to the fluid level sensor. The ECU is configured to monitor a signal value representative of a fluid level in the tank; filter the fluid level signal value using a first filter to obtain a first filtered signal and using a second filter to obtain a second filtered signal, the first filter having a time constant (?1) lower than a time constant (?2) of the second filter; calculate an integral value of a difference between the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal; and generate a signal representative of the detection of an increase in the fluid level in the tank when the integral value is greater than a predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Giovanni David
  • Patent number: 9719398
    Abstract: A method of determining a thermal state or a thermal state transition of a substance based on how much liquid phase is available is disclosed. The method includes: (a) determining a current thermal state of the substance when the internal combustion engine is switched on based on a tank temperature and on a time interval during which the engine is switched off; and (b) calculating a percentage of the liquid phase in case the thermal state is a mixture of solid phase and liquid phase based on a total mass of the substance in the tank, a heat amount supplied to the tank, a heat exchange of the tank with an external environment; and (c) detecting the thermal state transitions based on said tank temperature and its time derivative and on said percentage of the liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Giovanni David, Igor Zanetti
  • Patent number: 9423288
    Abstract: A method for determining a fluid level value in a fluid tank of an internal combustion engine equipped with a discrete level sensor is provided. The discrete level sensor is configured for generating a first electrical signal when a fluid level is above or equal to a first predetermined fluid level threshold value and generating a second electrical signal when the fluid level is above or equal to a second predetermined fluid level threshold value. The second predetermined fluid level threshold value is greater than the first predetermined fluid level threshold value. The method includes monitoring a number of occurrences of the first electrical signal and of the second electrical signal over a time interval. The fluid level in the fluid tank is calculated as a function of the number of occurrences of the first and of the second electrical signals over the time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Giovanni David
  • Patent number: 9115626
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a discrete substrate element from an ammonia-selective catalyst reduction device configured to treat an exhaust gas feedstream of an internal combustion engine includes monitoring amounts of ammonia that are adsorbed, desorbed, and oxidized and an amount of ammonia that is consumed in reducing NOx in the exhaust gas feedstream from the discrete substrate element. An amount of ammonia consumption for the discrete substrate element is determined based on the amount of ammonia that is oxidized and the amount of ammonia that is consumed in reducing NOx in the exhaust gas feedstream. The amount of ammonia that is adsorbed and the amount of ammonia that is desorbed for the discrete substrate element are compared and the amount of ammonia consumption for the discrete substrate element is adjusted when the amount of ammonia that is adsorbed is less than the amount of ammonia that is desorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Min Sun, Igor Zanetti, Paul Jasinkiewicz
  • Publication number: 20150032391
    Abstract: A control apparatus for detecting a variation of a fluid level in a tank is disclosed. The control apparatus includes an Electronic Control Unit connected to the fluid level sensor. The ECU is configured to monitor a signal value representative of a fluid level in the tank; filter the fluid level signal value using a first filter to obtain a first filtered signal and using a second filter to obtain a second filtered signal, the first filter having a time constant (?1) lower than a time constant (?2) of the second filter; calculate an integral value of a difference between the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal; and generate a signal representative of the detection of an increase in the fluid level in the tank when the integral value is greater than a predefined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Giovanni David
  • Publication number: 20150016485
    Abstract: A method of determining a thermal state or a thermal state transition of a substance based on how much liquid phase is available is disclosed. The method includes: (a) determining a current thermal state of the substance when the internal combustion engine is switched on based on a tank temperature and on a time interval during which the engine is switched off; and (b) calculating a percentage of the liquid phase in case the thermal state is a mixture of solid phase and liquid phase based on a total mass of the substance in the tank, a heat amount supplied to the tank, a heat exchange of the tank with an external environment; and (c) detecting the thermal state transitions based on said tank temperature and its time derivative and on said percentage of the liquid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Giovanni David, Igor Zanetti
  • Patent number: 8746046
    Abstract: A method for the estimation of oil viscosity in an internal combustion engine, the engine subjected to fuel post injections to activate Particulate Filter regeneration processes and to fuel hydrocarbons (HC) evaporation events affecting said oil viscosity. The method includes, but is not limited to determining if the particulate filter is subjected to a regeneration process and, in the affirmative case, calculating an oil viscosity decrease during said Particulate Filter regeneration process as a function of an oil dilution rate, and calculating an oil viscosity increase after said regeneration process as a function of an Hydrocarbon (HC) evaporation rate and of a time during which fuel Hydrocarbon evaporation takes place, where said evaporation time is determined as a function of a time spent in evaporating fuel Hydrocarbon from engine oil in a previous fuel hydrocarbons evaporation event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Stefano Cassani
  • Patent number: 8726641
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling injection of Diesel Exhaust Fluid into an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine equipped with a Selective Reduction Catalyst. The method includes, but is not limited to monitoring a value of a control parameter influencing an operation of the Selective Reduction Catalyst, injecting a quantity of Diesel Exhaust Fluid, controlling the quantity of Diesel Exhaust Fluid to be injected employing a closed loop procedure or an open loop procedure, switching between the closed loop procedure and the open loop procedure, when value of the control parameter crosses a first threshold value of the control parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Emiliano Santillo
  • Patent number: 8682595
    Abstract: A method is provided to estimate NO2 concentration in exhaust gas flowing through an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine. The exhaust pipe has a first section and a second section, and is equipped with an aftertreatment device located between the first section and the second section, and the method includes, but is not limited to determining a parameter related to a NO2 concentration of exhaust gas flowing in the first section, determining an oxidization index expressive of a rate of NO contained in the exhaust gas which oxidizes into NO2 inside the aftertreatment device, and a reduction index expressive of a rate of NO2 contained in the exhaust gas which is reduced into NO inside the aftertreatment device, and calculating a parameter related to a NO2 concentration in the second section as a function of the parameter related to a NO2 concentration in the first section and of the oxidization index and of the reduction index of the aftertreatment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Marco Petronzi
  • Patent number: 8635030
    Abstract: A method is provided for the determination of a NOx concentration value upstream of a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst in a Diesel engine, the engine having an exhaust line, a Diesel Particulate Filter and a NOx concentration sensor downstream of the SCR catalyst, the method including, but is not limited to estimating the NOx concentration value upstream of the SCR catalyst as a function of at least two engine parameters, measuring the NOx concentration downstream of the SCR catalyst, calculating the difference Z(x, y) between the estimated NOx concentration value and the measured value and, in case the difference is higher than a predetermined threshold, correcting the estimated NOx concentration value with a NOx concentration correction value. The NOx concentration correction value is calculated using a correction map that correlates the at least two engine parameters and the difference Z(x, y) with the NOx concentration correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Davide Mercuri, Marco Petronzi
  • Publication number: 20140013725
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a discrete substrate element from an ammonia-selective catalyst reduction device configured to treat an exhaust gas feedstream of an internal combustion engine includes monitoring amounts of ammonia that are adsorbed, desorbed, and oxidized and an amount of ammonia that is consumed in reducing NOx in the exhaust gas feedstream from the discrete substrate element. An amount of ammonia consumption for the discrete substrate element is determined based on the amount of ammonia that is oxidized and the amount of ammonia that is consumed in reducing NOx in the exhaust gas feedstream. The amount of ammonia that is adsorbed and the amount of ammonia that is desorbed for the discrete substrate element are compared and the amount of ammonia consumption for the discrete substrate element is adjusted when the amount of ammonia that is adsorbed is less than the amount of ammonia that is desorbed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Min Sun, Igor Zanetti, Paul Jasinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 8538721
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating an aging index of the catalytic device. There estimation of the aging index includes, but is not limited to determining the catalytic device operating temperature, determining an aging factor as a function of at least the determined operating temperature, determining the time period spent by the catalytic device at the determined operating temperature, calculating a contributing aging coefficient as a function of the aging factor and the time period, and increasing a cumulative aging parameter by adding the contributing aging coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nicola Sacco, Alessandra Chianale, Igor Zanetti
  • Patent number: 8489308
    Abstract: A method and a control system are provided for estimating oxygen concentration downstream a diesel oxidation catalyst within a diesel engine system. The method includes, but is not limited to at least an intake manifold, a combustion chamber, an exhaust manifold, and the diesel oxidation catalyst located in the exhaust line upstream a diesel particulate filter, the method comprising: determining unburned fuel mass flow ejected from the combustion chamber, determining air mass fraction in the exhaust manifold, estimating air mass fraction downstream the diesel oxidation catalyst as a function of said unburned fuel mass flow and said air mass fraction in the exhaust manifold, estimating oxygen concentration downstream the diesel oxidation catalyst as a function of the estimated air mass fraction downstream the diesel oxidation catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Simone Barbero, Stefano Cassani
  • Publication number: 20130006548
    Abstract: A method for determining a fluid level value in a fluid tank of an internal combustion engine equipped with a discrete level sensor is provided. The discrete level sensor is configured for generating a first electrical signal when a fluid level is above or equal to a first predetermined fluid level threshold value and generating a second electrical signal when the fluid level is above or equal to a second predetermined fluid level threshold value. The second predetermined fluid level threshold value is greater than the first predetermined fluid level threshold value. The method includes monitoring a number of occurrences of the first electrical signal and of the second electrical signal over a time interval. The fluid level in the fluid tank is calculated as a function of the number of occurrences of the first and of the second electrical signals over the time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Igor ZANETTI, Giovanni DAVID
  • Publication number: 20110320132
    Abstract: A method is provided for the determination of a NOx concentration value upstream of a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst in a Diesel engine, the engine having an exhaust line, a Diesel Particulate Filter and a NOx concentration sensor downstream of the SCR catalyst, the method including, but is not limited to estimating the NOx concentration value upstream of the SCR catalyst as a function of at least two engine parameters, measuring the NOx concentration downstream of the SCR catalyst, calculating the difference Z(x, y) between the estimated NOx concentration value and the measured value and, in case said difference is higher than a predetermined threshold, correcting the estimated NOx concentration value with a NOx concentration correction value. The NOx concentration correction value is calculated using a correction map that correlates said at least two engine parameters and the difference Z(x, y) with said NOx concentration correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Igor ZANETTI, Davide MERCURI, Marco PETRONZI
  • Publication number: 20110283678
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling injection of Diesel Exhaust Fluid into an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine equipped with a Selective Reduction Catalyst. The method includes, but is not limited to monitoring a value of a control parameter influencing an operation of the Selective Reduction Catalyst, injecting a quantity of Diesel Exhaust Fluid, controlling the quantity of Diesel Exhaust Fluid to be injected employing a closed loop procedure or an open loop procedure, switching between the closed loop procedure and the open loop procedure, when value of the control parameter crosses a first threshold value of the control parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Igor ZANETTI, Emiliano SANTILLO
  • Publication number: 20110285537
    Abstract: A method for the estimation of oil viscosity in an internal combustion engine, the engine subjected to fuel post injections to activate Particulate Filter regeneration processes and to fuel hydrocarbons (HC) evaporation events affecting said oil viscosity. The method includes, but is not limited to determining if the particulate filter is subjected to a regeneration process and, in the affirmative case, calculating an oil viscosity decrease during said Particulate Filter regeneration process as a function of an oil dilution rate, and calculating an oil viscosity increase after said regeneration process as a function of an Hydrocarbon (HC) evaporation rate and of a time during which fuel Hydrocarbon evaporation takes place, where said evaporation time is determined as a function of a time spent in evaporating fuel Hydrocarbon from engine oil in a previous fuel hydrocarbons evaporation event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Igor ZANETTI, Stefano CASSANI
  • Publication number: 20110257899
    Abstract: A method is provided to estimate NO2 concentration in exhaust gas flowing through an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine. The exhaust pipe has a first section and a second section, and is equipped with an aftertreatment device located between the first section and the second section, and the method includes, but is not limited to determining a parameter related to a NO2 concentration of exhaust gas flowing in the first section, determining an oxidization index expressive of a rate of NO contained in the exhaust gas which oxidizes into NO2 inside the aftertreatment device, and a reduction index expressive of a rate of NO2 contained in the exhaust gas which is reduced into NO inside the aftertreatment device, and calculating a parameter related to a NO2 concentration in the second section as a function of the parameter related to a NO2 concentration in the first section and of the oxidization index and of the reduction index of the aftertreatment device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Igor ZANETTI, Marco PETRONZI
  • Publication number: 20110185706
    Abstract: A method is provided for managing the regeneration of a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) in a Diesel engine system. The engine having an intake and an exhaust line and being configured to after-inject or post-inject quantities of fuel into a combustion chamber for raising the temperature of the engine exhaust gas. The engine including in the exhaust line, but not limited to, a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). The method including, but not limited to identifying a faulty condition of the engine system and, in case that such faulty condition is not critical, measuring the intake air charge and, in case such intake air charge is acceptable, and performing a regeneration process for said Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alessia TUNINETTI, Igor ZANETTI, Stefano CASSANI
  • Publication number: 20110153260
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating an aging index of the catalytic device. There estimation of the aging index includes, but is not limited to determining the catalytic device operating temperature, determining an aging factor as a function of at least the determined operating temperature, determining the time period spent by the catalytic device at the determined operating temperature, calculating a contributing aging coefficient as a function of the aging factor and the time period, and increasing a cumulative aging parameter by adding the contributing aging coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nicola Sacco, Alessandra Chianale, Igor Zanetti