Patents by Inventor Kenneth J. Buslepp

Kenneth J. Buslepp 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: 9482173
    Abstract: An indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) module determines IMEPs for combustion cycles of cylinders of an engine, respectively. A coldstart indication module indicates whether the engine is in a cold state after a startup of the engine. A fueling correction module, when the engine is in the cold state, selectively increases a fueling correction for one of the cylinders based on the IMEP of the one of the cylinders. An equivalence ratio (EQR) module selectively increases an EQR of the one of the cylinders based on the fueling correction for the one of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Julian R. Verdejo, Bruce F. Hunter, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Publication number: 20160047328
    Abstract: An indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) module determines IMEPs for combustion cycles of cylinders of an engine, respectively. A coldstart indication module indicates whether the engine is in a cold state after a startup of the engine. A fueling correction module, when the engine is in the cold state, selectively increases a fueling correction for one of the cylinders based on the IMEP of the one of the cylinders. An equivalence ratio (EQR) module selectively increases an EQR of the one of the cylinders based on the fueling correction for the one of the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: KENNETH J. BUSLEPP, JULIAN R. VERDEJO, BRUCE F. HUNTER, DANIEL G. BRENNAN
  • Patent number: 9097196
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a time stamping module, a period determination module, a stochastic pre-ignition (SPI) indication module, and an SPI remediation module. The time stamping module generates first and second timestamps when a crankshaft of an engine is in first and second crankshaft positions during an engine cycle, respectively. The period determination module determines a period between the first and second timestamps. The SPI indication module selectively indicates that an SPI event occurred within a cylinder of the engine based on the period. The SPI remediation module selectively adjusts at least one engine operating parameter in response to the SPI indication module indicating that the SPI event occurred within the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Daniel G. Brennan, Julian R. Verdejo, David S. Mathews
  • Patent number: 8612124
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a filtering module, an indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) determination module, and a stuck mechanism indicator module. The filtering module generates engine speeds based on positions of teeth of a toothed wheel that rotates with a crankshaft and based on a crankshaft position signal generated by a crankshaft position sensor. The IMEP determination module determines an IMEP for a combustion cycle of a cylinder of an engine based on squares of first and second ones of the engine speeds during the combustion cycle. The stuck mechanism indicator module selectively diagnoses a fault in a variable valve lift (VVL) mechanism of the cylinder based on the IMEP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventors: Julian R. Verdejo, Kenneth J. Buslepp, Nicholas John Kalweit
  • Patent number: 8600644
    Abstract: A sensor reset system includes an engine control module and a sensor reset circuit. The engine control module is configured to receive a sensor pressure signal from a cylinder pressure sensor. The sensor pressure signal indicates a pressure within a cylinder of an engine. The engine control module is further configured to: control operation of the engine based on the sensor pressure signal; determine whether to reset the cylinder pressure sensor and generate a reset signal; and encode the reset signal to generate an encoded reset signal. The sensor reset circuit is configured to adjust an output of the cylinder pressure sensor based on the encoded reset signal to reset the cylinder pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Patent number: 8583330
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle is provided. The method includes determining a current car wash mode from a plurality of car wash modes; and controlling at least one vehicle component based on the car wash mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mary Beth Furness, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Patent number: 8561592
    Abstract: A method and a control module that includes a filter coefficient determination module that generates filter coefficients based upon an engine operating conditions. The control module includes a filter module that filters the in-cylinder pressure signal with a filter having the filter coefficients to form a filtered pressure signal and an engine control module that controls the engine using the filtered pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Douglas R. Verner
  • Patent number: 8538666
    Abstract: A control system includes a cylinder pressure sensor (CPS) that senses a cylinder pressure of an engine and generates a CPS signal based on the cylinder pressure. A CPS failure detection module selectively generates a failure signal based on characteristics of the CPS signal in a knock frequency range. A status detection module generates a CPS status signal based on the CPS signal and the failure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Jose C. Zavala Jurado
  • Patent number: 8516895
    Abstract: A pressure sensor diagnostic system of the present disclosure includes an excitation module, a frequency determination module, and a fault determination module. The excitation module excites an in-cylinder pressure sensor and causes the in-cylinder pressure sensor to oscillate. The frequency determination module determines an oscillation frequency of the in-cylinder pressure sensor. The fault determination module diagnoses the in-cylinder pressure sensor based on the oscillation frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Kenneth J. Buslepp, Joseph R. Dulzo
  • Patent number: 8510016
    Abstract: A method and a control system that includes a window module that determines a piston position window, a mean effective pressure determination module that generates a mean effective pressure with in-cylinder pressure signals within the piston position window and an engine control module that controls the engine using the mean effective pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Douglas R. Verner
  • Patent number: 8504278
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling engine operation includes a timer module that determines a time period from when a catalyst light-off mode is entered to when an oxygen sensor signal reaches an oxygen sensor threshold and a comparison module that generates an error signal and determines when the time period is above a time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Jonathan T. Shibata, Allen B. Rayl, Halim G Santoso, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Publication number: 20130079998
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle is provided. The method includes determining a current car wash mode from a plurality of car wash modes; and controlling at least one vehicle component based on the car wash mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Mary Beth Furness, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Patent number: 8392096
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a disturbance module, a misfire threshold determination module, a disturbance ratio module, and a spark control module. The disturbance module determines a disturbance value for a past combustion stroke of a cylinder based on rotation of a crankshaft. The misfire threshold determination module determines a jerk value indicative of a misfire within the cylinder. The disturbance ratio module determines a disturbance ratio for the past combustion stroke based on the disturbance value and the jerk value. The spark control module determines a spark timing for a future combustion stroke of the cylinder, determines a spark timing correction for the future combustion stroke based on the disturbance ratio, determines a corrected spark timing based on the spark timing and the spark timing correction, and generates spark during the future combustion stroke based on the corrected spark timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventors: David S. Mathews, Tameem K. Assaf, John V. Bowman, Kenneth J. Buslepp, Julian R. Verdejo
  • Publication number: 20130054109
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a time stamping module, a period determination module, a stochastic pre-ignition (SPI) indication module, and an SPI remediation module. The time stamping module generates first and second timestamps when a crankshaft of an engine is in first and second crankshaft positions during an engine cycle, respectively. The period determination module determines a period between the first and second timestamps. The SPI indication module selectively indicates that an SPI event occurred within a cylinder of the engine based on the period. The SPI remediation module selectively adjusts at least one engine operating parameter in response to the SPI indication module indicating that the SPI event occurred within the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Daniel G. Brennan, Julian R. Verdejo, David S. Mathews
  • Patent number: 8364385
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a cylinder pressure sensor and a control module. The cylinder pressure sensor measures pressure within a cylinder of an engine, generates increases in a cylinder pressure signal based on the pressure, selectively generates a predetermined profile in the cylinder pressure signal, and selectively resets the cylinder pressure signal to a predetermined reset level after generating the predetermined profile in the cylinder pressure signal. The control module receives the cylinder pressure signal, detects the predetermined profile of the cylinder pressure signal, and detects the resetting of the cylinder pressure signal to the predetermined reset level when the predetermined profile is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Douglas R. Verner, Joseph R. Dulzo
  • Publication number: 20120316761
    Abstract: A control system includes a cylinder pressure sensor (CPS) that senses a cylinder pressure of an engine and generates a CPS signal based on the cylinder pressure. A CPS failure detection module selectively generates a failure signal based on characteristics of the CPS signal in a knock frequency range. A status detection module generates a CPS status signal based on the CPS signal and the failure signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Jose C. Zavala Jurado
  • Publication number: 20120303238
    Abstract: A sensor reset system includes an engine control module and a sensor reset circuit. The engine control module is configured to receive a sensor pressure signal from a cylinder pressure sensor. The sensor pressure signal indicates a pressure within a cylinder of an engine. The engine control module is further configured to: control operation of the engine based on the sensor pressure signal; determine whether to reset the cylinder pressure sensor and generate a reset signal; and encode the reset signal to generate an encoded reset signal. The sensor reset circuit is configured to adjust an output of the cylinder pressure sensor based on the encoded reset signal to reset the cylinder pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Patent number: 8301362
    Abstract: A method and a control module for diagnosing an engine component function includes a comparison module comparing an in-cylinder pressure signal to a threshold and a fault indication module generating a diagnostic signal for an engine component in response to comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Douglas R. Verner, Joseph R. Dulzo, Jonathan T. Shibata, Daniel G. Brennan, Joshua Cowgill
  • Patent number: 8265853
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a piston movement modeling module, a cylinder volume determination module, and a cylinder pressure estimation module. The piston movement modeling module models movement of a piston within a corresponding cylinder based on angular change of an engine crankshaft. The cylinder volume determination module determines a volume of the cylinder based on an angular position of the engine crankshaft and the modeled movement of the piston. The cylinder pressure estimation module estimates pressure in the cylinder based on the determined volume, an intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), an intake valve timing, an exhaust valve timing, and an exhaust back pressure (EBP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Daniel G. Brennan
  • Publication number: 20120209494
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a filtering module, an indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) determination module, and a stuck mechanism indicator module. The filtering module generates engine speeds based on positions of teeth of a toothed wheel that rotates with a crankshaft and based on a crankshaft position signal generated by a crankshaft position sensor. The IMEP determination module determines an IMEP for a combustion cycle of a cylinder of an engine based on squares of first and second ones of the engine speeds during the combustion cycle. The stuck mechanism indicator module selectively diagnoses a fault in a variable valve lift (VVL) mechanism of the cylinder based on the IMEP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Julian R. Verdejo, Kenneth J. Buslepp, Nicholas John Kalweit