Patents by Inventor James Smarr Collins

James Smarr Collins 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: 10494972
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cleaning a urea-clogged diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injector included in a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) engine exhaust after-treatment system. In one example, a method may include, responsive to a diagnostic code indicating a clogged DEF injector, operating an engine in a DEF injector cleaning mode comprising operating the engine at a high idle speed, activating a DEF pump to deliver a desired amount of DEF at a desired flowrate, and measuring a duty cycle of DEF pump activation during DEF delivery. Responsive to the duty cycle being greater than a threshold duty cycle for a duration, DEF flow restoration is indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Smarr Collins, Robert James Merrell, Jonathan Matthew Green, Matthew Hargis, John Roberts
  • Publication number: 20180128142
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cleaning a urea-clogged diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injector included in a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) engine exhaust after-treatment system. In one example, a method may include, responsive to a diagnostic code indicating a clogged DEF injector, operating an engine in a DEF injector cleaning mode comprising operating the engine at a high idle speed, activating a DEF pump to deliver a desired amount of DEF at a desired flowrate, and measuring a duty cycle of DEF pump activation during DEF delivery. Responsive to the duty cycle being greater than a threshold duty cycle for a duration, DEF flow restoration is indicated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: James Smarr Collins, Robert James Merrell, Jonathan Matthew Green, Matthew Hargis, John Roberts
  • Patent number: 7917260
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus for remotely testing a plurality of communication channel inputs to an automobile computer. The apparatus may include a microprocessor electrically connected to a persistent memory. The memory may have stored therein communication channel test messages corresponding to each of two or more communication channel inputs to an automobile computer. At least one of the communication channels is a wireless communication channel. The microprocessor may be configured to output a test message over a selected communication channel to the automobile computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Henry Thomas Ubik, James Smarr Collins, Gary M Denomme
  • Publication number: 20090292416
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus for remotely testing a plurality of communication channel inputs to an automobile computer. The apparatus may include a microprocessor electrically connected to a persistent memory. The memory may have stored therein communication channel test messages corresponding to each of two or more communication channel inputs to an automobile computer. At least one of the communication channels is a wireless communication channel. The microprocessor may be configured to output a test message over a selected communication channel to the automobile computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Henry Thomas Ubik, James Smarr Collins, Gary M. Denomme