Patents by Inventor Kenneth E. Sovel

Kenneth E. Sovel 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).

  • Control of vehicle driveline torque
    Patent number: 9731725
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle driveline includes determining, for current vehicle operating conditions, an initial engine output torque, at which the driveline meets predetermined structural criteria, establishing a factor that varies with torque converter slip, determining an engine torque limit by multiplying the factor corresponding to a current torque converter slip by the initial engine output torque, and limiting torque produced by an engine connected to the driveline to the engine torque limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley D. Riedle, Brad W. Probert, Jianping Zhang, Kenneth E. Sovel
  • CONTROL OF VEHICLE DRIVELINE TORQUE
    Publication number: 20140067229
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle driveline includes determining, for current vehicle operating conditions, an initial engine output torque, at which the driveline meets predetermined structural criteria, establishing a factor that varies with torque converter slip, determining an engine torque limit by multiplying the factor corresponding to a current torque converter slip by the initial engine output torque, and limiting torque produced by an engine connected to the driveline to the engine torque limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley D. Riedle, Brad W. Probert, Jianping Zhang, Kenneth E. Sovel