Patents by Inventor Jonathan Andrew Butcher
Jonathan Andrew Butcher 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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Patent number: 9139088Abstract: A system an method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having a transmission coupled to vehicle wheels, an internal combustion engine, a planetary gearset coupled to the engine and to a differential output shaft to drive the vehicle wheels, a traction motor coupled through gearing to the differential output shaft and the planetary gearset, a generator coupled to the planetary gearset and electrically coupled to the fraction motor, a traction battery coupled to the generator and the traction motor, and at least one controller in communication with the engine, the traction motor, and the generator include limiting engine speed in response to a wheel slip event to an engine speed limit based on motor speed and generator speed to prevent the generator speed from exceeding a corresponding threshold when the wheel slip event terminates.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2013Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Shunsuke Okubo, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar
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Patent number: 9106162Abstract: A hybrid-electric vehicle method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a traction battery, at least two electric-machines, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to a faulted condition one of the electric-machines during a drive cycle, command the other of the electric-machines to function in a mode in which torque output is restricted to a threshold value that depends on a voltage of the battery to maintain vehicle propulsion during the drive cycle.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2012Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Rimma Isayeva, Balakrishna Rao, Jonathan Andrew Butcher
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Patent number: 9087418Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling a vehicle in response to a diagnostic test performed to detect an incorrect cable connection of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Daniel Richard Luedtke, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Rimma Paransky
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Patent number: 9079582Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine and a non-selectable-gear transmission having an electric machine mechanically coupled to the engine. The vehicle may have one or more controllers programmed to, in response to a request for passive neutral mode, pull-down the engine and inhibit engine pull-up while disabling the electric machine such that the vehicle coasts with minimal rotational inertia and electrical losses. The one or more controllers may be further programmed to, in response to a subsequent request for drive mode during the passive neutral mode, permit engine pull-up while enabling the electric machine such that the vehicle resumes drive.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2013Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Thomas Joseph Cusumano, Stefan Paul Pototschnik, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Paul Stephen Bryan
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Publication number: 20150142228Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling a vehicle in response to a diagnostic test performed to detect an incorrect cable connection of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Daniel Richard Luedtke, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Rimma Paransky
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Publication number: 20150100187Abstract: A method of controlling a motor in a hybrid electric vehicle mitigates the risk of an incorrectly wired or incorrectly connected wiring harness. Following the connection or re-connection of a wiring harness, the vehicle responds to a torque request by limiting the magnitude of the motor torque until the proper direction of torque is confirmed. A flag is then set to record that torque direction has been confirmed so that the vehicle can respond normally to future requests. Several events may indicate that a wiring harness has been re-connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2013Publication date: April 9, 2015Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Brian Richard Light, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Daniel Richard Luedtke, Darko Acevski, Carlos Ayala, Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar
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Publication number: 20150066261Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine and a non-selectable-gear transmission having an electric machine mechanically coupled to the engine. The vehicle may have one or more controllers programmed to, in response to a request for passive neutral mode, pull-down the engine and inhibit engine pull-up while disabling the electric machine such that the vehicle coasts with minimal rotational inertia and electrical losses. The one or more controllers may be further programmed to, in response to a subsequent request for drive mode during the passive neutral mode, permit engine pull-up while enabling the electric machine such that the vehicle resumes drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Thomas Joseph Cusumano, Stefan Paul Pototschnik, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Paul Stephen Bryan
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Publication number: 20150066333Abstract: A method for controlling an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle according to the present disclosure includes, in response to a drive motor being unavailable, commanding an engine power equal to the lesser of a first and a second power. The first power is sufficient to satisfy a driver wheel torque request at the current engine speed, and the second power corresponds to a maximum engine torque available at a target engine speed, where the target engine speed is selected to attain a desired battery state of charge.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Inventors: Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Ming Lang Kuang, Paul Stephen Bryan
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Publication number: 20150060173Abstract: A system an method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having a transmission coupled to vehicle wheels, an internal combustion engine, a planetary gearset coupled to the engine and to a differential output shaft to drive the vehicle wheels, a traction motor coupled through gearing to the differential output shaft and the planetary gearset, a generator coupled to the planetary gearset and electrically coupled to the fraction motor, a traction battery coupled to the generator and the traction motor, and at least one controller in communication with the engine, the traction motor, and the generator include limiting engine speed in response to a wheel slip event to an engine speed limit based on motor speed and generator speed to prevent the generator speed from exceeding a corresponding threshold when the wheel slip event terminates.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Shunsuke Okubo, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar
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Publication number: 20150066260Abstract: A vehicle may include at least one electric machine, a traction battery, and a voltage boost converter electrically connecting the at least one electric machine and traction battery. The vehicle may further include at least one controller programmed to, in response to a request for drive mode while in a passive neutral mode, enable the boost converter and drive an output voltage of the boost converter to a predetermined target. The controller may be further programmed to, in response to the output voltage achieving the predetermined target, enable the at least one electric machine and drive a current through the at least one electric machine to zero such that an output torque of the at least one electric machine is approximately zero; and in response to the current achieving approximately zero, increase the current through the at least one electric machine such that the output torque is greater than zero.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Paul Stephen Bryan, Carol Louise Okubo
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Publication number: 20140277881Abstract: A system or method for controlling an engine in a hybrid vehicle include cranking the engine subject to a first torque limit in response to an engine start request, receiving an engine rotational position signal, and cranking the engine subject to a second torque limit in response to the engine rotational position signal indicating a number of engine revolutions being less than a threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Shunsuke Okubo, Jonathan Andrew Butcher
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Publication number: 20140277875Abstract: A method and system for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle include controlling torque in a traction motor in response to a provisional motor torque that has been adjusted based on a difference between a measured traction motor speed and a calculated vehicle speed and filtered to attenuate a resonant driveline frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Wei Liang, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Xiaoyong Wang, Thomas Chrostowski, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Ming Lang Kuang, Fazal Urrahman Syed
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Patent number: 8712616Abstract: A vehicle is provided with at least one wheel and a motor that is coupled to the wheel. The motor is configured to provide regenerative brake torque. The vehicle also includes at least one controller that is configured to predict future powertrain oscillation based on input indicative of a wheel speed and a total brake torque. The controller is also configured to control the motor to reduce the regenerative brake torque prior to the powertrain oscillation.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2012Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: William David Treharne, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Dale Scott Crombez, Thomas Scott Gee
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Publication number: 20140100726Abstract: A vehicle is provided including an electric machine and at least one controller. The controller, or controllers, are configured to, in response to a reset of the at least one controller while a speed of the vehicle is greater than a threshold value, provide a current command to the electric machine in accordance with calibration values calculated prior to the reset such that inoperability of the electric machine due to the reset is less than one second.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: William Reynolds, Daniel Robert Parks, Rimma Isayeva, Jonathan Andrew Butcher
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Publication number: 20140062348Abstract: A hybrid-electric vehicle method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a traction battery, at least two electric-machines, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to a faulted condition one of the electric-machines during a drive cycle, command the other of the electric-machines to function in a mode in which torque output is restricted to a threshold value that depends on a voltage of the battery to maintain vehicle propulsion during the drive cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Rimma Isayeva, Balakrishna Rao, Jonathan Andrew Butcher
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Publication number: 20140067173Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one electric machine and an inverter for selectively transmitting power to the electric machine. The inverter includes a power module. At least one controller controls the electric machine and the inverter. The controller at least temporarily disables the inverter during a power cycle such that power to the electric machine is inhibited. In response to the disabling of the inverter, the controller resets the duty cycle commands for the power module, and re-enables the inverter during the same power cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Rimma Isayeva, William Reynolds, Jonathan Andrew Butcher
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Publication number: 20140031169Abstract: A system and method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain having an engine, a generator, and a motor connected via a planetary gear set to detect lockup in the planetary gear set and control the powertrain in response. When torque is distributed in an electric mode of operation with the engine disabled, the generator is disabled based at least upon a difference between actual generator speed and an expected generator speed exceeding a threshold, indicating a lockup in the planetary gear set. When the engine is activated and distributes torque through the powertrain, the engine and the generator are disabled based at least upon a difference between engine acceleration and an expected engine acceleration exceeding a first threshold, and a difference between engine speed and ring gear speed being less than a second threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Ming Lang Kuang, Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Edward William Haran, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Kimberly Murphy
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Publication number: 20130289809Abstract: A vehicle is provided with at least one wheel and a motor that is coupled to the wheel. The motor is configured to provide regenerative brake torque. The vehicle also includes at least one controller that is configured to predict future powertrain oscillation based on input indicative of a wheel speed and a total brake torque. The controller is also configured to control the motor to reduce the regenerative brake torque prior to the powertrain oscillation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2012Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: William David Treharne, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Dale Scott Crombez, Thomas Scott Gee
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Patent number: 8535201Abstract: A system and method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain having an engine, a generator, and a motor connected via a planetary gear set to detect lockup in the planetary gear set and control the powertrain in response. When torque is distributed in an electric mode of operation with the engine disabled, the generator is disabled based at least upon a difference between actual generator speed and an expected generator speed exceeding a threshold, indicating a lockup in the planetary gear set. When the engine is activated and distributes torque through the powertrain, the engine and the generator are disabled based at least upon a difference between engine acceleration and an expected engine acceleration exceeding a first threshold, and a difference between engine speed and ring gear speed being less than a second threshold.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Ming Lang Kuang, Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Edward William Haran, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Kimberly Murphy
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Patent number: 8525467Abstract: An active motor damping system and method for dampening oscillations of a driveline in a vehicle includes generating a commanded torque indicative of an actual torque which would counteract the oscillations if delivered by a motor to the driveline. The commanded torque is adjusted as a function of a phase lag between the commanded torque and an actual torque which the motor would deliver in response to the commanded torque such that in response to the adjusted commanded torque the motor delivers the actual torque which counteracts the oscillations.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2011Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Thomas Scott Gee, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, William David Treharne