Patents by Inventor John Hedges

John Hedges 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: 9739251
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting and combusting an amount of gaseous fuel during an exhaust stroke of a cylinder combustion event in order to reduce turbo lag and reduce a duration of time required for an exhaust catalyst to light-off during transient events. In one example, when an increase in torque demand is greater than a threshold, a first amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during a compression stroke of a cylinder combustion event and a second amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during an exhaust stroke of the combustion event. The second amount may be adjusted based on the increase in torque demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 9702307
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a phase of gaseous fuel delivered to fuel injectors of a fuel delivery system. In one example, a method may include adjusting a fuel pressure in a fuel delivery system to deliver fuel in each of a liquid and a gaseous phase during different engine operating conditions. The fuel pressure may be based on a temperature, composition, and desired phase of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Gopichandra Surnilla, Eric Warren Curtis, John Hedges, Mark Allen Dearth
  • Publication number: 20160215748
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting and combusting an amount of gaseous fuel during an exhaust stroke of a cylinder combustion event in order to reduce turbo lag and reduce a duration of time required for an exhaust catalyst to light-off during transient events. In one example, when an increase in torque demand is greater than a threshold, a first amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during a compression stroke of a cylinder combustion event and a second amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during an exhaust stroke of the combustion event. The second amount may be adjusted based on the increase in torque demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 9399968
    Abstract: A method for an engine, comprising: during a first condition comprising a high engine temperature, injecting a first quantity of liquid petroleum gas into a first engine cylinder at a first timing during an intake stroke; and injecting a second quantity of liquid petroleum gas into the first engine cylinder at a second timing during a compression stroke following the intake stroke. In this way, combustion knock and cylinder pre-ignition may be mitigated without retarding spark ignition and/or limiting engine load, thereby allowing for maximum engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Eric Warren Curtis, Gopichandra Surnilla, John Hedges, Mark Allen Dearth
  • Patent number: 9382863
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting ignition energy of the spark required for combustion of gaseous fuel injected during an exhaust stroke of a cylinder combustion event to reduce turbo lag. In one example, a method includes combusting a first amount of gaseous fuel during a compression stroke of a cylinder combustion event using a first ignition energy and combusting a second amount of gaseous fuel during an exhaust stroke of the cylinder combustion event using a second ignition energy, the second ignition energy lower than the first ignition energy. The second ignition energy may be adjusted based on in-cylinder pressure and cylinder load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 9303581
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting and combusting an amount of gaseous fuel during an exhaust stroke of a cylinder combustion event in order to reduce turbo lag and reduce a duration of time required for an exhaust catalyst to light-off during transient events. In one example, when an increase in torque demand is greater than a threshold, a first amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during a compression stroke of a cylinder combustion event and a second amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during an exhaust stroke of the combustion event. The second amount may be adjusted based on the increase in torque demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 9238983
    Abstract: Embodiments for heating an emission control device are provided. In one example, a method for a turbocharged engine comprises during an engine cold-start, delivering boosted air from downstream of a compressor into a wastegate duct coupled across a turbine and exothermically reacting a reductant with the boosted air upstream of an exhaust emission control device. In this way, boosted air may be used to initiate an exothermic reaction to heat the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Wen Dai, Paul M. Laing, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 9151200
    Abstract: A vehicle system operation method is provided. The method comprises, during a first operating condition, increasing back pressure in a first exhaust conduit positioned upstream of a turbine and downstream of a first emission control device and during a second operating condition, reducing back pressure in the first exhaust conduit and flowing boosted air from downstream of a compressor into a second exhaust conduit positioned upstream of a second emission control device and downstream of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Wen Dai, Paul M. Laing, John Hedges, Julia Helen Buckland, Harold Huimin Sun
  • Publication number: 20150189088
    Abstract: A system and method for managing a customer's experience with a contact center that takes available data about the customer, the agents of the contact center, and the organization represented by the contact center, for identifying opportunities for additional conversations/interactions with the customer and engaging in those additional conversations/interactions at a time and with a resource predicted to maximize outcomes for the organization. A processor is configured to identify express and/or implied intents for an interaction between the customer and the contact center. A business goal related to the express and/or implied intents is also identified for determining a current performance of the contact center and for identifying any performance gaps. Contact center targets are identified based on their performance in handling the express and/or implied intents, and the identified performance gaps. An available one of the identified targets is then selected for routing the interaction to the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Matthew James Surridge, Andrew Thomas Charles Verrall, Cameron David Smith, Gregory John Hedges, Merijn te Booij
  • Patent number: 9027531
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine including varying a level of ignition energy provided to the engine during an engine start is provided. For example, the ignition energy level may be varied responsive to the amount of alcohol in fuel delivered to the engine in order to improve cold engine starting with higher alcohol fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark William Peters, Jason Eugene Devries, John M. Roth, John Hedges
  • Publication number: 20150075487
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting ignition energy of the spark required for combustion of gaseous fuel injected during an exhaust stroke of a cylinder combustion event to reduce turbo lag. In one example, a method includes combusting a first amount of gaseous fuel during a compression stroke of a cylinder combustion event using a first ignition energy and combusting a second amount of gaseous fuel during an exhaust stroke of the cylinder combustion event using a second ignition energy, the second ignition energy lower than the first ignition energy. The second ignition energy may be adjusted based on in-cylinder pressure and cylinder load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, John Hedges
  • Publication number: 20150075492
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting and combusting an amount of gaseous fuel during an exhaust stroke of a cylinder combustion event in order to reduce turbo lag and reduce a duration of time required for an exhaust catalyst to light-off during transient events. In one example, when an increase in torque demand is greater than a threshold, a first amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during a compression stroke of a cylinder combustion event and a second amount of gaseous fuel may be combusted during an exhaust stroke of the combustion event. The second amount may be adjusted based on the increase in torque demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, John Hedges
  • Publication number: 20150059686
    Abstract: A method for an engine, comprising: during a first condition comprising a high engine temperature, injecting a first quantity of liquid petroleum gas into a first engine cylinder at a first timing during an intake stroke; and injecting a second quantity of liquid petroleum gas into the first engine cylinder at a second timing during a compression stroke following the intake stroke. In this way, combustion knock and cylinder pre-ignition may be mitigated without retarding spark ignition and/or limiting engine load, thereby allowing for maximum engine performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Eric Warren Curtis, Gopichandra Surnilla, John Hedges, Mark Allen Dearth
  • Publication number: 20150059687
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a phase of gaseous fuel delivered to fuel injectors of a fuel delivery system. In one example, a method may include adjusting a fuel pressure in a fuel delivery system to deliver fuel in each of a liquid and a gaseous phase during different engine operating conditions. The fuel pressure may be based on a temperature, composition, and desired phase of the fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Gopichandra Surnilla, Eric Warren Curtis, John Hedges, Mark Allen Dearth
  • Publication number: 20140163846
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine including varying a level of ignition energy provided to the engine during an engine start is provided. For example, the ignition energy level may be varied responsive to the amount of alcohol in fuel delivered to the engine in order to improve cold engine starting with higher alcohol fuels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark William Peters, Jason Eugene Devries, John M. Roth, John Hedges
  • Publication number: 20140060040
    Abstract: Embodiments for heating an emission control device are provided. In one example, a method for a turbocharged engine comprises during an engine cold-start, delivering boosted air from downstream of a compressor into a wastegate duct coupled across a turbine and exothermically reacting a reductant with the boosted air upstream of an exhaust emission control device. In this way, boosted air may be used to initiate an exothermic reaction to heat the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Wen Dai, Paul M. Laing, John Hedges
  • Publication number: 20140060009
    Abstract: A vehicle system operation method is provided. The method comprises, during a first operating condition, increasing back pressure in a first exhaust conduit positioned upstream of a turbine and downstream of a first emission control device and during a second operating condition, reducing back pressure in the first exhaust conduit and flowing boosted air from downstream of a compressor into a second exhaust conduit positioned upstream of a second emission control device and downstream of the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Wen Dai, Paul M. Laing, John Hedges, Julia Helen Buckland, Harold Huimin Sun
  • Patent number: 8584650
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine including varying a level of ignition energy provided to the engine during an engine start is provided. For example, the ignition energy level may be varied responsive to the amount of alcohol in fuel delivered to the engine in order to improve cold engine starting with higher alcohol fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark William Peters, Jason Eugene Devries, John M. Roth, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 8245699
    Abstract: A fuel vapor recovery system and method for an automotive vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle fuel tank is vented to atmosphere via a passageway having a carbon canister to remove fuel vapors, a bladder, and a normally-closed isolation valve. When fueling the vehicle, the gases in the fuel tank displaced by entering fuel are introduced into the carbon canister where the fuel vapors are stored. The isolation valve is commanded to open to allow such flow through the carbon canister. When the vehicle is parked for a period of a day, it undergoes a diurnal temperature change which causes fuel to vaporize into the fuel system. According to an aspect of the present development, the isolation valve remains closed and the gases are contained within the bladder as it expands or contracts as the volume of gases increases or decreases in response to temperature changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Peters, Steven James Hoffman, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 8161732
    Abstract: A system and method for improving emissions of an engine capable of combusting a multi-component fuel comprised of two or more fuels is presented. According to the method, the passage exhaust gases are processed in said exhaust system is determined in part from the concentration of one component fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark William Peters, John M. Roth, Ken O. Jahr, Jason Eugene Devries, John Hedges