Patents by Inventor Jon C. Miller
Jon C. Miller 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).
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Publication number: 20100326413Abstract: A fuel control system for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel starvation detection module and a fuel pump protection module. The fuel starvation detection module detects when a fuel pump is delivering less than a predetermined amount of fuel based on a fuel level in a fuel tank, a fuel pressure in the fuel pump, and an air/fuel (A/F) ratio of the engine. The fuel pump protection module decreases an amount of fuel supplied to the engine during a period after detecting that the fuel pump is delivering less than the predetermined amount of fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Michael C. Zumbaugh, Kauser Ferdous, Jon C. Miller
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Patent number: 7856309Abstract: A cold-start control system for an internal combustion engine includes a heat estimation module, a torque request module and a propulsion torque determination module. The heat estimation module determines an exhaust system temperature and estimates heat required to heat an exhaust system to a predetermined temperature. The torque request module generates a torque request based on the estimated heat. The propulsion torque determination module determines a desired engine torque based on the torque request.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2008Date of Patent: December 21, 2010Inventors: Christopher A Gillanders, John L. Lahti, Louis A. Avallone, Jon C. Miller, Robert C. Simon, Jr., Todd R. Shupe, Jaehak Jung, William R. Cawthorne, Leonard G. Wozniak
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Patent number: 7848874Abstract: A fuel control system includes a pressure comparison module that generates a pressure control signal when a fuel supply pressure is greater than a predetermined pressure value, a temperature comparison module that generates a temperature control signal when a temperature of an engine is greater than a predetermined temperature value, and a pre-crank fuel module that selectively dispenses pre-crank fuel prior to cranking the engine based on the pressure control signal and the temperature control signal. A related fuel control method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2008Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Inventors: James D. Hay, Mark D. Carr, Jeffrey M. Hutmacher, Louis A. Avallone, Jon C. Miller
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Publication number: 20100294030Abstract: A diagnostic system comprises a monitoring module and a diagnostic module. The monitoring module receives a first rail pressure measured by a high side rail pressure sensor during engine cranking at a location where fuel is pressurized by a high pressure fuel pump. The diagnostic module selectively diagnoses a fault in at least one of the high pressure fuel pump and the high side rail pressure sensor when the first rail pressure is less than a predetermined pressure and rail pressures received during a predetermined period after the first rail pressure is received are less than the predetermined pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2009Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Michael J. Lucido, Wenbo Wang, Ian J. MacEwen, Jon C. Miller
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Publication number: 20100288231Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle comprises a combustion control module and an engine startup module. The combustion control module selectively controls a spark timing and airflow into an engine based on a counter value. The engine startup module, when the counter value is one of greater than and less than a predetermined final value, controls an equivalence ratio (EQR) of an air/fuel mixture provided to the engine during an engine cranking period based on a fuel rail pressure and controls the EQR during an engine running period based on the fuel rail pressure and an engine runtime period. The counter value is set to the predetermined final value after the engine is started for a first time after the engine is assembled.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2009Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INCInventors: MICHAEL C. ZUMBAUGH, JON C. MILLER, ROBERT C. GIBSON, MARK D. CARR, MICHAEL J. LUCIDO, MICHAEL N. KOTSONAS
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Publication number: 20100288235Abstract: A fuel pressure control system for a vehicle comprises a pressure regulator module and a pressure increasing module. The pressure regulator module regulates a fuel pressure supplied to an engine to a first predetermined pressure during an engine running period. The pressure increasing module selectively increases the fuel pressure to a second predetermined pressure during the engine running period when a counter value is one of greater than and less than a predetermined final value. The second predetermined pressure is greater than the first predetermined pressure, and the counter value is set to the predetermined final value after the engine is started for a first time after being assembled.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2009Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jon C. Miller, Robert C. Gibson, Kauser Ferdous
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Publication number: 20100280742Abstract: A method and control module for operating an engine that includes a pressure range determination module that determines a pressure value for a pressure sensor in a fuel rail is out of range. A fuel rail pressure estimate module that determines a predicted pressure value. An engine control module that operates the engine using the predicted pressure value.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2009Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: JESSE M. GWIDT, MICHAEL J. LUCIDO, JON C. MILLER, MICHAEL N. KOTSONAS
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Publication number: 20100280741Abstract: An engine control system comprises a model pressure determination module and a sensor diagnostic module. The model pressure determination module determines a modeled fuel rail pressure based on an injection duration of a fuel injector and a desired fuel mass injected by the fuel injector. The sensor diagnostic module generates a status of a fuel rail pressure sensor based on a comparison of the modeled fuel rail pressure and a sensed fuel rail pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2009Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: WENBO WANG, MICHAEL J. LUCIDO, VINCENT A. WHITE, IAN J. MAC EWEN, JON C. MILLER
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Patent number: 7826963Abstract: An engine control system includes a driver module and a diagnostics module. The driver module includes a high-side driver and a low-side driver, which selectively actuate a load. The driver module generates status signals based on detection of each of a plurality of failure modes of the high-side and low-side drivers. The diagnostics module increments a first error count for a first mode of the plurality of failure modes when the status signals indicate the driver module has detected the first mode. The diagnostics module increments a corresponding total count each time the driver module analyzes the first mode. The diagnostics module sets a fail state for a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) when the first error count for the first mode reaches a first predetermined threshold prior to the total count reaching a second predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2009Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Inventors: Wenbo Wang, Mark D. Carr, Michael J. Lucido, Jon C. Miller, John F. Van Gilder, Daniel P. Grenn, Hamid M. Esfahan, Ian J. Mac Ewen
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Publication number: 20100269793Abstract: An engine control system includes a driver module and a diagnostics module. The driver module includes a high-side driver and a low-side driver, which selectively actuate a load. The driver module generates status signals based on detection of each of a plurality of failure modes of the high-side and low-side drivers. The diagnostics module increments a first error count for a first mode of the plurality of failure modes when the status signals indicate the driver module has detected the first mode. The diagnostics module increments a corresponding total count each time the driver module analyzes the first mode. The diagnostics module sets a fail state for a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) when the first error count for the first mode reaches a first predetermined threshold prior to the total count reaching a second predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2009Publication date: October 28, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Wenbo Wang, Mark D. Carr, Michael J. Lucido, Jon C. Miller, John F. Van Gilder, Daniel P. Grenn, Hamid M. Esfahan, Ian J. Mac Ewen
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Publication number: 20100242582Abstract: An engine system includes a status determination module and an open-loop fuel control module. The status determination module determines whether a first ignition fuse is in a failure state. The open-loop fuel control module disables a first plurality of fuel injectors and actuates a second plurality of fuel injectors based on a first air/fuel (A/F) ratio when the first ignition fuse is in the failure state, wherein the first ignition fuse and the first plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a first cylinder bank, and wherein a second ignition fuse and the second plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a second cylinder bank.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Wenbo Wang, Mark D. Carr, Michael J. Lucido, Jon C. Miller, Wajdi B. Hamama, Kurt D. McLain
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Patent number: 7793641Abstract: A fuel control system for regulating fuel to cylinders of an internal combustion engine during an engine start and crank-to-run transition includes a first module that determines a plurality of step-ahead cylinder air masses (GPOs) for a cylinder based on a plurality of GPO prediction models. A second module regulates fueling to a cylinder of the engine based on the plurality of step-ahead GPOs until a combustion event of the cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2006Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Inventors: Qi Ma, Stephen Yurkovich, Kenneth P. Dudek, Stephen K. Fulcher, Robert X. Monchamp, Jon C. Miller
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Publication number: 20100191445Abstract: A system includes a fuel detection module, a misfire detection module, and a fuel control module. The fuel detection module detects when a fuel supplied to an engine having C cylinders has a high drivability index (HIDI), where C is an integer greater than 1. The misfire detection module detects whether M of the C cylinders misfire when the fuel has the HIDI, where M is an integer, and 1?M<C. The fuel control module injects a first amount of the fuel into the M of the C cylinders when M is less than or equal to D, where D is an integer less than C, and where the first amount is greater than a first predetermined amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jon C. Miller, David S. Mathews, Mark D. Carr, Ian J. Mac Ewen
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Publication number: 20100107630Abstract: An exhaust control system for a vehicle comprises an exhaust system modeling module and an actuator control module. The exhaust system modeling module estimates an input gas temperature, an output gas temperature, a mass temperature, and a pressure for an exhaust system component of an exhaust system implemented in the vehicle. Exhaust gas flows through the exhaust system component. The actuator control module selectively adjusts an engine operating parameter based on at least one of the input gas temperature, the output gas temperature, the mass temperature, and the pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Wajdi B. Hamama, Jaehak Jung, Jon C. Miller, Gregory J. York, David N. Belton, J. Michael Ellenberger, Louis A. Avallone, Wenbo Wang
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Publication number: 20100075802Abstract: A cold-start control system for an internal combustion engine includes a heat estimation module, a torque request module and a propulsion torque determination module. The heat estimation module determines an exhaust system temperature and estimates heat required to heat an exhaust system to a predetermined temperature. The torque request module generates a torque request based on the estimated heat. The propulsion torque determination module determines a desired engine torque based on the torque request.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2008Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Christopher A. Gillanders, John L. Lahti, Louis A. Avallone, Jon C. Miller, Robert C. Simon, JR., Todd R. Shupe, Jaehak Jung, William R. Cawthorne, Leonard G. Wozniak
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Publication number: 20100058848Abstract: An engine coolant temperature estimation system comprises a coolant temperature estimation module and a coolant monitoring module. The coolant estimation module estimates an engine coolant temperature based on at least one of a mass air flow, a vehicle speed, and an ambient temperature. The coolant monitoring module selectively operates an engine based on the estimated engine coolant temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2008Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Wajdi B. Hamama, Jon C. Miller, Igor Anilovich, John W. Siekkinen, Steven J. Shepherd, Robert S. Wickman, Roberto De Paula
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Publication number: 20090299586Abstract: Internal combustion engine autostarting includes selecting from among several autostart processes in accordance with desired input torque from the engine to the transmission, cranking the engine, and fueling the engine during the engine cranking based upon the selected engine autostart process.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2008Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Jon C. Miller, Kelly T. Jozefowicz, Mark D. Carr, Steven J. Shepherd
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Publication number: 20090216425Abstract: A fuel control system includes a pressure comparison module that generates a pressure control signal when a fuel supply pressure is greater than a predetermined pressure value, a temperature comparison module that generates a temperature control signal when a temperature of an engine is greater than a predetermined temperature value, and a pre-crank fuel module that selectively dispenses pre-crank fuel prior to cranking the engine based on the pressure control signal and the temperature control signal. A related fuel control method is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2008Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INCInventors: James D. Hay, Mark D. Carr, Jeffrey M. Hutmacher, Louis A. Avallone, Jon C. Miller
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Publication number: 20090056672Abstract: A method of torque-based control for an internal combustion engine may include determining a desired airflow rate into an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine during an engine start condition, determining a torque limit for a torque-based engine control module based on the desired airflow rate, and regulating engine torque based on the determined torque limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2007Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Jon C. Miller, Robert C. Simon, JR., Michael Livshiz, Jeffrey M. Kaiser, Todd R. Shupe, Mark D. Carr
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Patent number: 7302937Abstract: A fuel control system for regulating fuel to cylinders of an internal combustion engine during an engine start and crank-to-run transition includes a first module that determines a plurality of step-ahead cylinder air masses (GPOs) for a cylinder based on a plurality of GPO prediction models. A second module regulates fueling to a cylinder of the engine based on the plurality of step-ahead GPOs until a combustion event of the cylinder. Each of the plurality of GPO prediction models is calibrated based on data from a plurality of test starts that are based on a pre-defined test schedule.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Qi Ma, Stephen Yurkovich, Kenneth P. Dudek, Stephen K. Fulcher, Jon C. Miller