Patents by Inventor J. Hawkins

J. Hawkins 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).

  • METHOD AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL A CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION
    Publication number: 20170138471
    Abstract: A powertrain system including an internal combustion engine rotatably coupled to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is described. A method for controlling the CVT includes determining minimum and maximum CVT input speeds in response to an accelerator pedal position, and monitoring vehicle speed and a CVT input speed. A target CVT input acceleration rate is determined based upon the vehicle speed, and a desired speed ratio is determined that is responsive to the target CVT input acceleration rate. The CVT is controlled based upon the desired speed ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David H. Vu, Christopher Jay Weingartz, Craig J. Hawkins, Pratap A. Naick
  • DELIVERY DEVICE USABLE IN LASER PEENING OPERATION, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD
    Publication number: 20160333433
    Abstract: A delivery device that is usable in a laser peening operation emits a columnar flow of a fluid that contains therein a beam of electromagnetic energy. The beam is retained within the interior of the flow of fluid since the total internal reflectivity of the flow is sufficient to do so. The flow of fluid that serves as a conduit for the beam also itself impinges on a workpiece and thus contains and washes away the plasma that forms from a laser peening operation, and this resists the plasma from reaching and possibly damaging the delivery device. The carrying of the beam in the columnar flow of fluid avoids the need to maintain a fixed distance between the delivery device and the workpiece, which simplifies the movement by a robotic manipulator of the delivery device along a non-planar surface of a workpiece during a laser peening operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: LYMAN J. PETROSKY, PHILLIP J. HAWKINS
  • Method for delivering a tool to the interior of a heat exchange tube
    Patent number: 9470414
    Abstract: A delivery system for remotely driving an eddy current probe through the tubing of a heat exchanger. The system uses a flexible shaft and air pressure to move an inspection probe through the heat exchanger tubes. The flexible shaft initially drives the probe through a sealed conduit to deliver the probe to the tube end at which point a seal on the shaft near the probe head contacts the tube inner surface allowing a buildup of air pressure behind the seal, thus driving the probe through the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Lyman J. Petrosky, Kurt K. Lichtenfels, Phillip J. Hawkins
  • Transmission system with clutch bite point learning logic
    Patent number: 9416874
    Abstract: A method for learning the bite point of a position-controlled clutch in a vehicle having an engine and a transmission includes commanding an engagement of a clutch fork via a controller when the transmission is in park and the engine is idling. The method also includes controlling an apply position of the clutch via the controller, calculating a clutch torque capacity of the clutch, and measuring the apply position via a position sensor. The apply position is recorded as the clutch bite point when the calculated clutch torque capacity equals a calibrated clutch torque capacity. The transmission is then controlled using the recorded clutch bite point. A system includes the transmission, input clutches, and a controller configured to execute the method. A vehicle includes an engine, the transmission, the position-controlled input clutch, and the controller, as well as a clutch position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David H. Vu, Xuefeng Tim Tao, Jayson S. Schwalm, Craig J. Hawkins, Jeryl McIver
  • TRANSGENIC PLANTS WITH ENHANCED AGRONOMIC TRAITS
    Publication number: 20160230183
    Abstract: This invention provides recombinant DNA constructs, transgenic plant nuclei and cells with such recombinant DNA construct for expression of proteins that are useful for imparting enhanced agronomic trait(s) to transgenic crop plants. This invention also provides transgenic plants and progeny seed comprising the transgenic plant cells where the plants are selected for having an enhanced trait selected from the group of traits consisting of enhanced water use efficiency, enhanced cold tolerance, increased yield, enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, enhanced seed protein and enhanced seed oil. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing transgenic seed and plants with enhanced traits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Mark Scott Abad, Jeffery E. Ahrens, Alice Clara Augustine, Erin Bell, Robert J. Bensen, Srikanth Venkatachalayya, Paolo Castiglioni, R. Eric Cerny, Jaishree M. Chittoor-Vijayanath, Maureen Daley, Jill Deikman, Molian Deng, Todd DeZwaan, Stephen Duff, Michael D. Edgerton, Bradon J. Fabbri, Jason Fenner, Karen Gabbert, Meghan Galligan Donnarummo, Garrett J. Lee, Barry S. Goldman, Deborah J. Hawkins, Steve He, Xianfeng Chen, Balasulojini Karunanandaa, Paul Loida, Savitha Madappa, Robert J. Meister, Ming Peng, Donald E. Nelson, Anand Pandravada, Obed Patty, Marie Petracek, Rajani Monnanda Somaiah, Monica P. Ravanello, Richard Johnson, Thomas G. Ruff, Rick A. Sanders, Beth Savidge, Steven H. Schwartz, Shobha Char, Padmini Sudarshana, Jindong Sun, Rebecca L. Thompson-Mize, Virginia Ursin, Dale V. Val, Tymagondlu V. Venkatesh, Kammaradi Vidya, K. Vijayalakshmi, Todd C. Weber, Jingrui Wu, Wei Zheng, Zhidong Xie, Dhanalakshmi Ramachandra
  • Eddy current inspection probe
    Patent number: 9395390
    Abstract: A probe for transporting a nondestructive inspection sensor through a tube, that employs wheels to reduce friction. The radial travel of the wheels are mechanically linked through a cam and axially reciprocal plunger arrangement that centers the probe at tube diameter transitions. Internal wire bending is minimized and a dynamic seal is provided to facilitate an insertion force at the probe and reduce or eliminate compressive load buckling of the flexible cable carried by the probe. Like the wheel arrangement, radial travel of the seal segments are mechanically linked to provide probe centering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Phillip J. Hawkins, Lyman J. Petrosky
  • MOTOR DRIVE SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20160197640
    Abstract: A system and a method for driving an electrical motor with a drive unit including a wireless transceiver. A user may wirelessly couple a user input device with the transceiver, and use a drive application to, optionally, update configuration information including drive control parameters, update application logic residing in the drive unit, and/or upload performance parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Greg A. Emshwiller, Richard J. Halsey, Christopher J. Hawkins, Douglas C. Lynn, Robert C. Smith, Ross E. Waite, James H. Spreen
  • METHOD FOR DELIVERING A TOOL TO THE INTERIOR OF A HEAT EXCHANGE TUBE
    Publication number: 20160146453
    Abstract: A delivery system for remotely driving an eddy current probe through the tubing of a heat exchanger. The system uses a flexible shaft and air pressure to move an inspection probe through the heat exchanger tubes. The flexible shaft initially drives the probe through a sealed conduit to deliver the probe to the tube end at which point a seal on the shaft near the probe head contacts the tube inner surface allowing a buildup of air pressure behind the seal, thus driving the probe through the tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Lyman J. Petrosky, Kurt K. Lichtenfels, Phillip J. Hawkins
  • Thermal Retracting Actuator
    Publication number: 20160123310
    Abstract: A thermal actuator for a rotating shaft shutdown seal that has a piston with a portion of its axial length enclosed within a chamber shell with a material that expands upon a rise in temperature. The portion of the actual length of the piston within the chamber has at least two different diameters with the larger diameter leading in the direction of travel of the piston. Upon a rise in temperature, expansion of the material surrounding the piston within the chamber creates a force on the piston in the desired direction of travel. Below a preselected temperature the piston is positively locked with a passive release when the preselected temperature is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: Phillip J. Hawkins, Judith E. Hodgson, John W. Conrad, Lyman J. Petrosky
  • Method of controlling a vehicle during a clutch-to-clutch power upshift of a transmission
    Patent number: 9327733
    Abstract: A method of controlling a clutch-to-clutch power-on upshift of a transmission includes defining a possible engine torque as a latched possible engine torque value. An on-coming clutch torque phase target value is defined as a latched on-coming clutch torque value, and held constant until a final ramp. A commanded engine torque is reduced and maintained to a maximum torque reduction value until a shift completion ratio is achieved. The commanded engine torque is increased until the commanded engine torque is equal to a restore ramp target value. Both the on-coming clutch torque and the commanded engine torque are simultaneously increased at a final ramp rate, such that the increase in the on-coming clutch torque parallels the increase in the commanded engine torque, until an actual engine torque is substantially equal to the possible engine torque, to complete the shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: James L. Abington, Matthew Kempeinen, Paul R. Peterson, Matthew D. Whitton, Craig J. Hawkins
  • Rolling downhill shift control of a transmission
    Patent number: 9291260
    Abstract: A method of controlling a downhill rolling shift sequence (DRSS) of a vehicle having an engine and a dual-clutch transmission (DCT) includes initiating a DRSS upon detecting a rolling downhill condition of the vehicle in an initial gear state, identifying an exit gear state corresponding to the initial gear state, shifting the DCT to a rolling neutral state when a speed of an initial gear input shaft is equal to an idle speed of the engine, initiating synchronization of the engine speed with the speed of an exit gear input shaft when the shaft speed is equal to the engine idle speed, and shifting the DCT from the rolling neutral state to the exit gear state when the synchronized speed of the engine and the exit gear input shaft is equal to a calibrated exit speed defined by the exit gear state. A system for controlling the DRSS is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brandon Fell, Craig J. Hawkins
  • Method and apparatus for delivering a tool to the interior of a heat exchange tube
    Patent number: 9279582
    Abstract: A delivery system for remotely driving an eddy current probe through the tubing of a heat exchanger. The system uses a flexible shaft and air pressure to move an inspection probe through the heat exchanger tubes. The flexible shaft initially drives the probe through a sealed conduit to deliver the probe to the tube end at which point a seal on the shaft near the probe head contacts the tube inner surface allowing a buildup of air pressure behind the seal, thus driving the probe through the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Lyman J. Petrosky, Kurt K. Lichtenfels, Phillip J. Hawkins
  • Method of controlling a transmission
    Patent number: 9273778
    Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission includes selecting a target speed of a second shaft, and measuring a second speed of the second shaft and an output speed of an output shaft. The method includes detecting a rolling neutral condition wherein a first and second clutch are uncoupled from a torque generator and a synchronizer is mated to a predicted gear to apply a load in a direction, and one of a first condition wherein the output speed is decreasing and the target speed is less than the second speed and a second condition wherein the output speed is increasing and the target speed is less than the second speed. The method then includes translating the synchronizer away from the predicted gear, coupling and decoupling the second clutch to and from the torque generator, and mating the synchronizer to the predicted gear to again apply the load in the direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Jay Weingartz, Matthew D. Whitton, Xuefeng Tim Tao, Craig J. Hawkins
  • METHOD OF CONTROLLING A VEHICLE DURING A CLUTCH-TO-CLUTCH POWER UPSHIFT OF A TRANSMISSION
    Publication number: 20160039422
    Abstract: A method of controlling a clutch-to-clutch power-on upshift of a transmission includes defining a possible engine torque as a latched possible engine torque value. An on-coming clutch torque phase target value is defined as a latched on-coming clutch torque value, and held constant until a final ramp. A commanded engine torque is reduced and maintained to a maximum torque reduction value until a shift completion ratio is achieved. The commanded engine torque is increased until the commanded engine torque is equal to a restore ramp target value. Both the on-coming clutch torque and the commanded engine torque are simultaneously increased at a final ramp rate, such that the increase in the on-coming clutch torque parallels the increase in the commanded engine torque, until an actual engine torque is substantially equal to the possible engine torque, to complete the shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: James L. Abington, Matthew Kempeinen, Paul R. Peterson, Matthew D. Whitton, Craig J. Hawkins
  • THERMAL RETRACTING ACTUATOR
    Publication number: 20160040681
    Abstract: A thermal actuator for a rotating shaft shutdown seal that has a piston with a portion of its axial length enclosed within a chamber shell with a material that expands upon a rise in temperature. The portion of the actual length of the piston within the chamber has at least two different diameters with the larger diameter leading in the direction of travel of the piston. Upon a rise in temperature, expansion of the material surrounding the piston within the chamber creates a force on the piston in the desired direction of travel. Below a preselected temperature the piston is positively locked with a passive release when the preselected temperature is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: Phillip J. Hawkins, Judith E. Hodgson
  • METHOD OF CONTROLLING A TRANSMISSION
    Publication number: 20160033034
    Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission includes selecting a target speed of a second shaft, and measuring a second speed of the second shaft and an output speed of an output shaft. The method includes detecting a rolling neutral condition wherein a first and second clutch are uncoupled from a torque generator and a synchronizer is mated to a predicted gear to apply a load in a direction, and one of a first condition wherein the output speed is decreasing and the target speed is less than the second speed and a second condition wherein the output speed is increasing and the target speed is less than the second speed. The method then includes translating the synchronizer away from the predicted gear, coupling and decoupling the second clutch to and from the torque generator, and mating the synchronizer to the predicted gear to again apply the load in the direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher Jay Weingartz, Matthew D. Whitton, Xuefeng Tim Tao, Craig J. Hawkins
  • Negative-torque downshift execution for fixed-gear transmissions
    Patent number: 9242545
    Abstract: A method of executing a downshift in a fixed-gear powertrain having an input node and an output node related by a starting speed ratio before the downshift and a finishing speed ratio after is provided. The downshift includes a torque phase and an inertia phase. A starting output torque is calculated as a function of a starting driver request. An electric machine applies a starting regenerative input torque which is calculated as substantially equal to the starting output torque divided by the starting speed ratio. A finishing output torque is calculated as a function of a finishing driver request. The electric machine applies a finishing regenerative input torque which is calculated as substantially equal to the finishing output torque divided by the finishing speed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Craig J. Hawkins, Adam J. Heisel, Christopher E. Whitney, Matthew D. Whitton, Roger Joseph Rademacher, Keith D. Van Maanen
  • TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WITH CLUTCH BITE POINT LEARNING LOGIC
    Publication number: 20150369364
    Abstract: A method for learning the bite point of a position-controlled clutch in a vehicle having an engine and a transmission includes commanding an engagement of a clutch fork via a controller when the transmission is in park and the engine is idling. The method also includes controlling an apply position of the clutch via the controller, calculating a clutch torque capacity of the clutch, and measuring the apply position via a position sensor. The apply position is recorded as the clutch bite point when the calculated clutch torque capacity equals a calibrated clutch torque capacity. The transmission is then controlled using the recorded clutch bite point. A system includes the transmission, input clutches, and a controller configured to execute the method. A vehicle includes an engine, the transmission, the position-controlled input clutch, and the controller, as well as a clutch position sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: David H. Vu, Xuefeng Tim Tao, Jayson S. Schwalm, Craig J. Hawkins, Jeryl McIver
  • Pump seal with thermal retracting actuator
    Patent number: 9206791
    Abstract: A thermal actuator for a rotating shaft shutdown seal that has a piston with a portion of its axial length enclosed within a chamber shell with a material that expands upon a rise in temperature. The portion of the actual length of the piston within the chamber has at least two different diameters with the larger diameter leading in the direction of travel of the piston. Upon a rise in temperature, expansion of the material surrounding the piston within the chamber creates a force on the piston in the desired direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Phillip J. Hawkins, Judith E. Hodgson
  • Pump seal with thermal retracting actuator
    Patent number: 9206812
    Abstract: A thermal actuator for a rotating shaft shutdown seal that has a piston with a portion of its axial length enclosed within a chamber shell with a material that expands upon a rise in temperature. The portion of the actual length of the piston within the chamber has at least two different diameters with the larger diameter leading in the direction of travel of the piston. Upon a rise in temperature, expansion of the material surrounding the piston within the chamber creates a force on the piston in the desired direction of travel. Below a preselected temperature the piston is positively locked with a passive release when the preselected temperature is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Phillip J. Hawkins, Judith E. Hodgson