Patents by Inventor M. Scott Christensen

M. Scott Christensen 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: 11897437
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
  • Patent number: 11807072
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
  • Patent number: 11673535
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Manfred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco, Venkatesh Krishnan
  • Patent number: 11280303
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enhancing and delivering engine sounds to a vehicle cabin based on a selected mode. In one example, a method may include adjusting openings of one or more valves fluidically coupling one or more corresponding engine regions to a sound tube of a sound enhancing system based on the selected mode. Throttle opening may also be adjusted to compensate for air routed from the engine regions to the sound tube instead of flowing to the engine cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Nicholas Herhusky, Michael Bastanipour, Hani Ayesh
  • Publication number: 20210339712
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Manfred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco, Venkatesh Krishnan
  • Patent number: 11136919
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing an actuator of a variable inlet compressor coupled in an electric turbocharger. During torque transitions, an electrical power consumption of an electric boost assist motor is observed and used to infer an actual compressor speed and pressure ratio across the compressor. By comparing the measured pressure ratio to a compressor map, it may be determined if the actuator is stuck open or stuck closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Nicholas Herhusky, Michael Bastanipour
  • Patent number: 11060464
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an internal combustion engine are described. In one example, an engine's position is adjusted during engine stopping so that the engine may be less likely to stop at a crankshaft angle where rotating a fuel pump may increase engine cranking torque due to work performed by the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Michael Bastanipour, David Hancock, Alexander O'connor Gibson
  • Patent number: 10988133
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes an engine arranged to output a first torque to a driveshaft and an electric motor arranged to output a second torque to the driveshaft. The vehicle also includes an automatic transmission arranged to receive an input torque from the driveshaft. The vehicle further includes an exhaust system to output combustion byproduct from the engine. A vehicle controller is programmed to, during deceleration, cause the engine to apply a negative first torque to increase an audible exhaust system sound. The controller is also programmed to activate the electric motor to output a positive second torque such that the input torque to the automatic transmission does not exceed a transmission torque threshold during deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: M. Scott Christensen
  • Patent number: 10859016
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting and mitigating belt slip of an engine front end accessory drive are described. In one example, three different signals are input to a weighted average filter to determine the presence or absence of belt slip so that quality of an indication of belt slip may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Michael Bastanipour, Nicholas Herhusky
  • Patent number: 10836397
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine and a transmission to reduce a catalyst light off time are disclosed. In one example, clutches of a transmission are operated to provide a desired load to the engine so that engine combustion stability may be improved while supplying heat to a catalyst so that the catalyst light off time may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Adam Joseph Krach, Michael Bastanipour, Nicholas Herhusky, Alexander O'Connor Gibson
  • Publication number: 20200291908
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enhancing and delivering engine sounds to a vehicle cabin based on a selected mode. In one example, a method may include adjusting openings of one or more valves fluidically coupling one or more corresponding engine regions to a sound tube of a sound enhancing system based on the selected mode. Throttle opening may also be adjusted to compensate for air routed from the engine regions to the sound tube instead of flowing to the engine cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Nicholas Herhusky, Michael Bastanipour, Hani Ayesh
  • Publication number: 20200262414
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes an engine arranged to output a first torque to a driveshaft and an electric motor arranged to output a second torque to the driveshaft. The vehicle also includes an automatic transmission arranged to receive an input torque from the driveshaft. The vehicle further includes an exhaust system to output combustion byproduct from the engine. A vehicle controller is programmed to, during deceleration, cause the engine to apply a negative first torque to increase an audible exhaust system sound. The controller is also programmed to activate the electric motor to output a positive second torque such that the input torque to the automatic transmission does not exceed a transmission torque threshold during deceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventor: M. Scott CHRISTENSEN
  • Publication number: 20200256262
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an internal combustion engine are described. In one example, an engine's position is adjusted during engine stopping so that the engine may be less likely to stop at a crankshaft angle where rotating a fuel pump may increase engine cranking torque due to work performed by the fuel pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Michael Bastanipour, David Hancock, Alexander O'Connor Gibson
  • Publication number: 20200240330
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing an actuator of a variable inlet compressor coupled in an electric turbocharger. During torque transitions, an electrical power consumption of an electric boost assist motor is observed and used to infer an actual compressor speed and pressure ratio across the compressor. By comparing the measured pressure ratio to a compressor map, it may be determined if the actuator is stuck open or stuck closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Nicholas Herhusky, Michael Bastanipour
  • Publication number: 20200217257
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting and mitigating belt slip of an engine front end accessory drive are described. In one example, three different signals are input to a weighted average filter to determine the presence or absence of belt slip so that quality of an indication of belt slip may be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: M. Scott Christensen, Michael Bastanipour, Nicholas Herhusky
  • Patent number: 10706020
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for sharing CAx data includes receiving CAx data in a first CAx format from a first client, storing the CAx data in a plurality of alternate formats, receiving a request for the CAx data from a second client, providing the CAx data to the second client using at least one alternate format of the plurality of alternate formats responsive to receiving the request for the CAx data from the second client. An apparatus and system corresponding to the above method is also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kelly Eric Bowman, Charles Greg Jensen, Joshua Coburn, Dan Staves, M. Scott Christensen, Bryce DeFigueiredo, Robert Freeman
  • Publication number: 20170337215
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for sharing CAx data includes receiving CAx data in a first CAx format from a first client, storing the CAx data in a plurality of alternate formats, receiving a request for the CAx data from a second client, providing the CAx data to the second client using at least one alternate format of the plurality of alternate formats responsive to receiving the request for the CAx data from the second client. An apparatus and system corresponding to the above method is also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Kelly Eric Bowman, Charles Greg Jensen, Joshua Coburn, Dan Staves, M. Scott Christensen, Bryce DeFigueiredo, Robert Freeman