Patents by Inventor James M. Merner

James M. Merner 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: 6449548
    Abstract: An automatic transmission ratio shift control system and method for a powertrain having a throttle-controlled engine and multiple-ratio gearing, torque flow paths through the gearing being established and disestablished by pressure-operated friction elements, an electronic controller for establishing torque transitions between the friction elements as ratio changes occur in the multiple-ratio gearing, the engine throttle being controlled by an electronic throttle control that is decoupled from the driver-controlled accelerator pedal, the transmission torque output being controlled by means of a friction element capacity control strategy including a feed-forward torque term determined by changes in commanded torque, the slip duration during a ratio change being controlled by means of closed-loop engine torque control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Pramod Kumar Jain, Balaram G. Sankpal, Bradley Dean Riedle, James M. Merner
  • Publication number: 20020111731
    Abstract: An automatic transmission ratio shift control system and method for a powertrain having a throttle-controlled engine and multiple-ratio gearing, torque flow paths through the gearing being established and disestablished by pressure-operated friction elements, an electronic controller for establishing torque transitions between the friction elements as ratio changes occur in the multiple-ratio gearing, the engine throttle being controlled by an electronic throttle control that is decoupled from the driver-controlled accelerator pedal, the transmission torque output being controlled by means of a friction element capacity control strategy including a feed-forward torque term determined by changes in commanded torque, the slip duration during a ratio change being controlled by means of closed-loop engine torque control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Pramod Kumar Jain, Balaram G. Sankpal, Bradley Dean Riedle, James M. Merner
  • Patent number: 6385520
    Abstract: A control strategy and method for controlling application and release of friction elements in an automatic transmission to effect gear ratio changes as one friction element is release and another friction element is applied during ratio changes. The transmission has an electronic controller and multiple solenoid regulator valves hydraulically coupled directly to pressure-operated friction elements. Powertrain variables are obtained and processed to calculate gear ratio control parameters derived from desired line pressure for a pressure control valve circuit that communicates with the friction elements. The desired gear ratio is determined for each given set of powertrain variables. Upshifts and downshifts are obtained by releasing one friction element in synchronism with an application of the other friction element, whereby a direct friction element to friction element torque transition is achieved with minimal inertia torque disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Pramod K. Jain, Howard Cecil Kuhn, Ronald Thomas Cowan, Bradley Dean Riedle, Chuanchi Steve Tang, James M. Merner