Patents by Inventor Mario A. Santillo

Mario A. Santillo 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: 11975710
    Abstract: A vehicle can be detected approaching a limited operation zone of a travel area. It can be determined that the vehicle is able to execute wireless commands from a computer. The object can be identified within the limited operation zone. Based on identifying the object within the limited operation zone, the vehicle can be controlled by providing a control command via wireless communications, the control command including whether the vehicle is permitted to enter the limited operation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory P. Linkowski, Mario A. Santillo
  • Publication number: 20230279820
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include determining presence of a zone flow based on a comparison of a first exhaust sensor and a second exhaust sensor. The presence or absence of the zone flow may determine a rate at which an air-fuel ratio is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Uhrich, Mario Santillo, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Stephen William Magner
  • Patent number: 11725603
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include determining presence of a zone flow based on a comparison of a first exhaust sensor and a second exhaust sensor. The presence or absence of the zone flow may determine a rate at which an air-fuel ratio is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Uhrich, Mario Santillo, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Stephen William Magner
  • Patent number: 11673548
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a virtual boundary between a host roadway lane of a host vehicle and a target roadway lane of a target vehicle, the virtual boundary based on a predicted path of the target vehicle, determine a first constraint value based on a boundary approach velocity of the target vehicle, determine a second constraint value based on (1) a boundary approach velocity of the host vehicle and (2) a boundary approach acceleration of the host vehicle and perform a threat assessment of a collision between the host vehicle and the target vehicle upon determining that the first constraint value violates a first threshold or the second constraint value violates a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mrdjan J. Jankovic, Yousaf Rahman, Mario A. Santillo, Abhishek Sharma, Michael Hafner
  • Publication number: 20220306092
    Abstract: A vehicle can be detected approaching a limited operation zone of a travel area. It can be determined that the vehicle is able to execute wireless commands from a computer. The object can be identified within the limited operation zone. Based on identifying the object within the limited operation zone, the vehicle can be controlled by providing a control command via wireless communications, the control command including whether the vehicle is permitted to enter the limited operation zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory P. Linkowski, Mario A. Santillo
  • Publication number: 20220073063
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a virtual boundary between a host roadway lane of a host vehicle and a target roadway lane of a target vehicle, the virtual boundary based on a predicted path of the target vehicle, determine a first constraint value based on a boundary approach velocity of the target vehicle, determine a second constraint value based on (1) a boundary approach velocity of the host vehicle and (2) a boundary approach acceleration of the host vehicle and perform a threat assessment of a collision between the host vehicle and the target vehicle upon determining that the first constraint value violates a first threshold or the second constraint value violates a second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mrdjan J. Jankovic, Yousaf Rahman, Mario A. Santillo, Abhishek Sharma, Michael Hafner
  • Patent number: 10982581
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing the presence or absence of a catalyst substrate within a catalyst can or housing. The methods and systems described a persistence of excitation metric that is a basis for judging whether or not the catalyst can is empty. If it is determined that the catalyst can or housing is empty, mitigating control actions may be performed via a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Santillo, Andrew Bagnasco, Mrdjan Jankovic
  • Patent number: 10947910
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for catalyst control. In one example, a method may modulate a downstream catalyst by applying a square waveform to an outer feedback control loop. A fuel adjustment is performed in accordance with the square waveform to create an air-fuel ratio oscillation at an upstream catalyst brick and at a downstream catalyst brick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Magner, Mario Santillo, Mrdjan Jankovic
  • Patent number: 10920690
    Abstract: A method for adjusting boost provided via a turbocharger or supercharger is described. In one example, boost is increased in response to a change in road conditions before a driver reacts to the change in road conditions by applying an accelerator pedal. The boost is increased to reduce compressor lag, thereby increasing the responsiveness of the engine and vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Erik Mikael Hellstrom, Mrdjan Jankovic, Mario Santillo
  • Publication number: 20200355130
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for catalyst control. In one example, a method may modulate a downstream catalyst by applying a square waveform to an outer feedback control loop. A fuel adjustment is performed in accordance with the square waveform to create an air-fuel ratio oscillation at an upstream catalyst brick and at a downstream catalyst brick.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen Magner, Mario Santillo, Mrdjan Jankovic
  • Publication number: 20200284182
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing the presence or absence of a catalyst substrate within a catalyst can or housing. The methods and systems described a persistence of excitation metric that is a basis for judging whether or not the catalyst can is empty. If it is determined that the catalyst can or housing is empty, mitigating control actions may be performed via a controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Mario Santillo, Andrew Bagnasco, Mrdjan Jankovic
  • Patent number: 10626779
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing operation of a catalyst in the presence of oxygen sensor degradation over a vehicle life cycle. The methods and systems described herein filter the output of one oxygen sensor according to a time constant of a different oxygen sensor so that determination of a catalyst index ratio is compensated for oxygen sensor degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Bagnasco, Edward Fredericks, Mario Santillo
  • Publication number: 20200025056
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing operation of a catalyst in the presence of oxygen sensor degradation over a vehicle life cycle. The methods and systems described herein filter the output of one oxygen sensor according to a time constant of a different oxygen sensor so that determination of a catalyst index ratio is compensated for oxygen sensor degradation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew Bagnasco, Edward Fredericks, Mario Santillo
  • Publication number: 20190257255
    Abstract: A method for adjusting boost provided via a turbocharger or supercharger is described. In one example, boost is increased in response to a change in road conditions before a driver reacts to the change in road conditions by applying an accelerator pedal. The boost is increased to reduce compressor lag, thereby increasing the responsiveness of the engine and vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: John Erik Mikael Hellstrom, Mrdjan Jankovic, Mario Santillo
  • Patent number: 10221792
    Abstract: A system and method are described for reducing NOx emissions following deceleration fuel shut off (DFSO). The method comprises: cutting off fuel to the engine during a deceleration event; open loop operating the engine air/fuel ratio rich of stoichiometry for a predetermined time after the deceleration event; feedback controlling the air/fuel ratio on average near a value rich of stoichiometry for a preselected time after said predetermined time; and feedback controlling the air/fuel ratio returning to stoichiometry after the preselected time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Santillo, Mrdjan J. Jankovic, Steve William Magner, Michael James Uhrich
  • Publication number: 20150051812
    Abstract: A system and method are described for reducing NOx emissions following deceleration fuel shut off (DFSO). The method comprises: cutting off fuel to the engine during a deceleration event; open loop operating the engine air/fuel ratio rich of stoichiometry for a predetermined time after the deceleration event; feedback controlling the air/fuel ratio on average near a value rich of stoichiometry for a preselected time after said predetermined time; and feedback controlling the air/fuel ratio returning to stoichiometry after the preselected time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Santillo, Mrdjan J. Jankovic, Steve William Magner, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 8260440
    Abstract: A discrete-time adaptive control law for stabilization, command following, and disturbance rejection that is effective for systems that are unstable, MIMO, and/or nonminimum phase. The adaptive control algorithm includes guidelines concerning the modeling information needed for implementation. This information includes the relative degree, the first nonzero Markov parameter, and the nonminimum-phase zeros. Except when the plant has nonminimum-phase zeros whose absolute value is less than the plant's spectral radius, the required zero information can be approximated by a sufficient number of Markov parameters. No additional information about the poles or zeros need be known. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the algorithm's effectiveness in handling systems with errors in the required modeling data, unknown latency, sensor noise, and saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Mario A. Santillo, Dennis S. Bernstein
  • Publication number: 20100142662
    Abstract: A discrete-time adaptive control law for stabilization, command following, and disturbance rejection that is effective for systems that are unstable, MIMO, and/or nonminimum phase. The adaptive control algorithm includes guidelines concerning the modeling information needed for implementation. This information includes the relative degree, the first nonzero Markov parameter, and the nonminimum-phase zeros. Except when the plant has nonminimum-phase zeros whose absolute value is less than the plant's spectral radius, the required zero information can be approximated by a sufficient number of Markov parameters. No additional information about the poles or zeros need be known. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the algorithm's effectiveness in handling systems with errors in the required modeling data, unknown latency, sensor noise, and saturation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Mario A. Santillo, Dennis Bernstein