Patents by Inventor Insu Chang

Insu Chang 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: 11722037
    Abstract: An interior permanent magnet motor having controllable coolant distribution is provided. The motor comprises a motor housing and a rotary shaft connected to a rotor rotatably disposed in the housing. The motor further comprises a stator unit disposed in the housing and comprising conductive windings arranged about the rotor. The windings have a straight portion radially extending to an end-turn portion. The motor further comprises an oil sump disposed on the housing above the stator unit. The oil sump comprises a reservoir having an inner side and an outer side. The reservoir has at least one aperture formed therethrough over the end-turn portion. The motor further comprises a movable nozzle having a first open end extending to a second open end. The first open end is connected to the at least one aperture such that the movable nozzle and reservoir are in fluid communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: SeungHwan Keum, Insu Chang, Jun-mo Kang, Young J. Kim
  • Patent number: 11705781
    Abstract: A system and method of active endturn cooling of an electric motor of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a motor having a coolant nozzle and a cam, and measuring speed, lateral acceleration, and road tilt angle of coolant due to road tilt. The method further comprises calculating coolant angle and coolant acceleration angle based on the road tilt angle and the lateral acceleration if the speed is greater than zero. The method further comprises comparing the coolant angle with a critical angle. The method further comprises calculating a first control angle and a first coolant distance based on the road tilt angle and the lateral acceleration of the vehicle if the acceleration angle is greater than the critical angle. The method further comprises determining a cam position based on the first control angle. The method further comprises moving the cam to the position to move the nozzle and compensate for the lateral acceleration such that coolant drops within a target area of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Insu Chang, SeungHwan Keum, Jun-mo Kang, Young J. Kim
  • Patent number: 11702133
    Abstract: A yaw stability control system is provided for a motor vehicle. The system includes one or more cameras, a plurality of wheel speed sensors, a yaw angle sensor, and a steering angle sensor. The system further includes an electric motor connected to a reaction wheel. The system further includes a processor and a memory including instructions such that the processor is programmed to: determine a desired yaw angle of the motor vehicle based on a video signal, speed signals, a yaw signal, and a steering signal. The processor is further programmed to generate an actuation signal associated with the desired yaw angle. The electric motor angularly rotates the reaction wheel at a predetermined angular rate in a predetermined rotational direction to produce a counter-acting torque that rotates the motor vehicle to the desired yaw angle, in response to the electric motor receiving the actuation signal from the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Insu Chang, Jun-mo Kang, SeungHwan Keum
  • Patent number: 11660979
    Abstract: A method and system for estimating state of charge of a lithium battery cell of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a non-linear function of the lithium battery cell, a normalized lithium surface density and an actual voltage at a current of the lithium battery cell having an internal resistance. The method further comprises determining an actual lithium surface density based on the actual voltage relative to an inverse of the non-linear function. The method further comprises determining a varying parameter based on the actual lithium surface density relative to a first diffusion model. The method further comprises determining a predicted lithium surface density based on the varying parameter relative to a second diffusion model. The method further comprises determining an estimated state of charge of the lithium battery cell when a difference between the predicted and actual lithium surface densities is less than a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jun-mo Kang, Insu Chang
  • Publication number: 20230020219
    Abstract: A system and method of active endturn cooling of an electric motor of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a motor having a coolant nozzle and a cam, and measuring speed, lateral acceleration, and road tilt angle of coolant due to road tilt. The method further comprises calculating coolant angle and coolant acceleration angle based on the road tilt angle and the lateral acceleration if the speed is greater than zero. The method further comprises comparing the coolant angle with a critical angle. The method further comprises calculating a first control angle and a first coolant distance based on the road tilt angle and the lateral acceleration of the vehicle if the acceleration angle is greater than the critical angle. The method further comprises determining a cam position based on the first control angle. The method further comprises moving the cam to the position to move the nozzle and compensate for the lateral acceleration such that coolant drops within a target area of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Insu Chang, SeungHwan Keum, Jun-mo Kang, Young J. Kim
  • Publication number: 20230010156
    Abstract: In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A system provides a gravity drive to distribute coolant oil flow including a nozzle for directing a flow of coolant oil over a surface of an electric motor wherein the flow of the coolant oil is caused by a gravity drive; a connector that is coupled to the nozzle that enables the nozzle to sway in response to external forces encountered by a vehicle operation and to distribute coolant oil over the exterior surface of the electric motor; and a counterweight that is coupled to the nozzle that provides a countermeasure to the external forces encountered by the vehicle operation to cause the nozzle to sway in a manner that enables the coolant oil distributed evenly across the exterior surface of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: SeungHwan Keum, Jun-mo Kang, Insu Chang, Young J. Kim
  • Publication number: 20230009660
    Abstract: In various embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided to distribute coolant to an electric motor. The apparatus includes a pan configured with a set of holes for coolant flow; an assembly including a set of bar linkages, a set of discs, and a single actuator motor wherein the assembly is attached to the pan wherein the single actuator motor is linked via bar linkages to discs that enable configuring a planar angle of the pan to obtain an optimum hole location of holes for coolant flow; and in response to external disturbances to the apparatus that redirect the coolant flow from the target region of the electric motor, the single actuator motor is controlled by an algorithm to change the planar angle of the pan to obtain the optimum hole location to direct coolant flow to the target region of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: SeungHwan Keum, Jun-mo Kang, Insu Chang, Young J. Kim
  • Publication number: 20220360144
    Abstract: An interior permanent magnet motor having controllable coolant distribution is provided. The motor comprises a motor housing and a rotary shaft connected to a rotor rotatably disposed in the housing. The motor further comprises a stator unit disposed in the housing and comprising conductive windings arranged about the rotor. The windings have a straight portion radially extending to an end-turn portion. The motor further comprises an oil sump disposed on the housing above the stator unit. The oil sump comprises a reservoir having an inner side and an outer side. The reservoir has at least one aperture formed therethrough over the end-turn portion. The motor further comprises a movable nozzle having a first open end extending to a second open end. The first open end is connected to the at least one aperture such that the movable nozzle and reservoir are in fluid communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: SeungHwan Keum, Insu Chang, Jun-mo Kang, Young J. Kim
  • Publication number: 20220340198
    Abstract: A yaw stability control system is provided for a motor vehicle. The system includes one or more cameras, a plurality of wheel speed sensors, a yaw angle sensor, and a steering angle sensor. The system further includes an electric motor connected to a reaction wheel. The system further includes a processor and a memory including instructions such that the processor is programmed to: determine a desired yaw angle of the motor vehicle based on a video signal, speed signals, a yaw signal, and a steering signal. The processor is further programmed to generate an actuation signal associated with the desired yaw angle. The electric motor angularly rotates the reaction wheel at a predetermined angular rate in a predetermined rotational direction to produce a counter-acting torque that rotates the motor vehicle to the desired yaw angle, in response to the electric motor receiving the actuation signal from the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Insu Chang, Jun-mo Kang, SeungHwan Keum
  • Publication number: 20220212565
    Abstract: A method and system for estimating state of charge of a lithium battery cell of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a non-linear function of the lithium battery cell, a normalized lithium surface density and an actual voltage at a current of the lithium battery cell having an internal resistance. The method further comprises determining an actual lithium surface density based on the actual voltage relative to an inverse of the non-linear function. The method further comprises determining a varying parameter based on the actual lithium surface density relative to a first diffusion model. The method further comprises determining a predicted lithium surface density based on the varying parameter relative to a second diffusion model. The method further comprises determining an estimated state of charge of the lithium battery cell when a difference between the predicted and actual lithium surface densities is less than a first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Jun-mo Kang, Insu Chang
  • Patent number: 11370435
    Abstract: A method for controlling automated driving operations of a vehicle includes determining vehicle origin and destination data, and generating a graphical representation of a road network with multiple candidate routes between the vehicle's origin and destination. Road-level data, including speed, turn angle, and/or gradient data, is received for each candidate route, and respective total energy uses are estimated for the vehicle to traverse across the candidate routes. Multiple candidate driving strategies, each having respective speed and acceleration profiles, are determined for the candidate route with the lowest estimated total energy use. An optimal candidate driving strategy is selected through a cost evaluation of the associated speed and acceleration profiles and forward movement simulations of the vehicle over a prediction horizon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Junfeng Zhao, Chen-Fang Chang, Bharatkumar Hegde, Insu Chang, Ragunathan Rajkumar
  • Patent number: 11365672
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a combustion cylinder including a cylinder wall, engine oil and engine coolant. Control of the internal combustion engine includes estimating the cylinder wall temperature in a temperature state estimator, comparing the estimated cylinder wall temperature to a predetermined temperature threshold, and circulating the engine coolant in the engine when the estimated cylinder wall temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Insu Chang, Min Sun, David E. Edwards
  • Patent number: 11338645
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for active vehicle cabin occupant detection system. The method includes predicting the presence of a vehicle occupant during operation of a vehicle in response to a door sensor indicative of a door opening, a carbon dioxide level and a pressure sensor in a passenger seat indicative of the vehicle occupant in the passenger seat, detecting the presence of the vehicle occupant using a vehicle cabin motion detector in response to the vehicle being shutdown, confirming the presence of the vehicle occupant using an infrared camera to detect a thermal signature of the vehicle occupant in response to the predicted presence of the vehicle occupant, and transmitting an alert via a wireless transmitter indicative of the presence of the vehicle occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Insu Chang, Edward R. Masters, Zhe Li, Dooil Hwang, Donald K. Grimm, Jeremie Dernotte
  • Patent number: 11312208
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for management of a thermal system. A system for thermal management includes a thermal system with fluid conduits. A sensor is disposed to monitor an input parameter state of the thermal system. An actuator is configured to vary a flow in the fluid conduits. A controller is configured to receive a signal representative of the input parameter state; process an actuator state through a flow model of the thermal system to obtain an existing flow in the fluid conduits; process the existing flow through a thermal model of the thermal system to determine an input that reduces an error between a desired parameter state and the input parameter state; process the input through an inverse flow model to convert the input to a desired actuator state; and position the actuator in the desired actuator state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Min Sun, Yiran Hu, David E. Edwards, Jun Chen, Insu Chang, Steven P. Moorman
  • Patent number: 11299013
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for active vehicle cabin occupant protection system. The method includes detecting a vehicle cabin temperature using a cabin thermal sensor, engaging a vehicle fan and opening a vehicle outside air ventilation duct in response to the vehicle cabin temperature exceeding a first threshold temperature, and starting a vehicle engine and engaging a vehicle air conditioning system in response to the vehicle cabin temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature wherein the second threshold temperature is greater than the first threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Insu Chang, Edward R. Masters, Dooil Hwang, Zhe Li, Jeremie Dernotte, Mohammad Firouz
  • Patent number: 11247571
    Abstract: An energy management system for a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes one or more power sources configured to provide power to one or more recipients. The system includes a controller configured to determine an arbitration vector based at least partially on a state vector and an initial transformation function. The arbitration vector is determined as one or more points for which the initial transformation function attains a maximum value. The controller is configured to determine a current reward based on the arbitration vector and the state vector, the current reward being configured to minimize energy loss in the power sources. The controller is configured to determine an updated transformation function based at least partially on the initial transformation function and a total reward. The controller is configured to arbitrate a power distribution based in part on the updated arbitration vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Haskara, Bharatkumar Hegde, Insu Chang, Chen-Fang Chang
  • Publication number: 20210172369
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a combustion cylinder including a cylinder wall, engine oil and engine coolant. Control of the internal combustion engine includes estimating the cylinder wall temperature in a temperature state estimator, comparing the estimated cylinder wall temperature to a predetermined temperature threshold, and circulating the engine coolant in the engine when the estimated cylinder wall temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Insu Chang, Min Sun, David E. Edwards
  • Publication number: 20210146790
    Abstract: An energy management system for a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes one or more power sources configured to provide power to one or more recipients. The system includes a controller configured to determine an arbitration vector based at least partially on a state vector and an initial transformation function. The arbitration vector is determined as one or more points for which the initial transformation function attains a maximum value. The controller is configured to determine a current reward based on the arbitration vector and the state vector, the current reward being configured to minimize energy loss in the power sources. The controller is configured to determine an updated transformation function based at least partially on the initial transformation function and a total reward. The controller is configured to arbitrate a power distribution based in part on the updated arbitration vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Haskara, Bharatkumar Hegde, Insu Chang, Chen-Fang Chang
  • Publication number: 20210061278
    Abstract: A method for controlling automated driving operations of a vehicle includes determining vehicle origin and destination data, and generating a graphical representation of a road network with multiple candidate routes between the vehicle's origin and destination. Road-level data, including speed, turn angle, and/or gradient data, is received for each candidate route, and respective total energy uses are estimated for the vehicle to traverse across the candidate routes. Multiple candidate driving strategies, each having respective speed and acceleration profiles, are determined for the candidate route with the lowest estimated total energy use. An optimal candidate driving strategy is selected through a cost evaluation of the associated speed and acceleration profiles and forward movement simulations of the vehicle over a prediction horizon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicants: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Junfeng Zhao, Chen-fang Chang, Bharatkumar Hegde, Insu Chang, Ragunathan Rajkumar
  • Publication number: 20210061063
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for management of a thermal system. A system for thermal management includes a thermal system with fluid conduits. A sensor is disposed to monitor an input parameter state of the thermal system. An actuator is configured to vary a flow in the fluid conduits. A controller is configured to receive a signal representative of the input parameter state; process an actuator state through a flow model of the thermal system to obtain an existing flow in the fluid conduits; process the existing flow through a thermal model of the thermal system to determine an input that reduces an error between a desired parameter state and the input parameter state; process the input through an inverse flow model to convert the input to a desired actuator state; and position the actuator in the desired actuator state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Min Sun, Yiran Hu, David E. Edwards, Jun Chen, Insu Chang, Steven P. Moorman