Patents by Inventor Maruthi Ravichandran

Maruthi Ravichandran 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: 11965476
    Abstract: Systems and methods for starting an engine of a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, the method selects one or more electric machines to start an engine. The method may reference a data structure, such as a matrix or table, and the matrix or table outputs which of the one or more electric machines is applied to start the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Calvin Trescott, Jason Meyer, Rajit Johri, Jeffrey Doering
  • Publication number: 20240116371
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electric vehicle are provided. In one example, a method for an electric vehicle having a first prime mover for supplying a torque to a first axle and a second prime mover for supplying a torque to a second axle comprises transitioning the first prime mover and the second prime mover to cross a lash zone one before the other, where the lash zone of the second prime mover does not overlap with the lash zone of the first prime mover. In one example, the first prime mover is controlled with a first electronic controller and the second prime mover is controlled with a second electronic controller positioned separately in the vehicle from the first electronic controller. In one example, the method further comprises communicating information from the first electronic controller to the second electronic controller via a communication area network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Bhavesh Paradkar, Rajit Johri
  • Publication number: 20240109530
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, torque capacity of a driveline disconnect is coordinated with torque control of an electric machine immediately following engine starting. The electric machine and the driveline disconnect clutch may assist starting of an engine, or alternatively, the engine may be started via a starter motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Ravi Kumar Tumu, Kevin Ruybal, Justin Panhans, Fazal U. Syed, Mary Catherine Farmer
  • Patent number: 11940023
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline disconnect clutch of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a driveline disconnect clutch is de-stroked in a particular way so that the driveline disconnect clutch may be de-stroked more consistently. The de-stroking process may be followed by boosting and stroking the driveline disconnect clutch so as to preposition the driveline disconnect clutch or holding the clutch at an offset below stroke pressure to minimize drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Akshay Bichkar, Corey James Blue, Jason Meyer, Maruthi Ravichandran, Bradley Dean Riedle
  • Publication number: 20240068532
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline disconnect clutch of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a driveline disconnect clutch is de-stroked in a particular way so that the driveline disconnect clutch may be de-stroked more consistently. The de-stroking process may be followed by boosting and stroking the driveline disconnect clutch so as to preposition the driveline disconnect clutch or holding the clutch at an offset below stroke pressure to minimize drag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Akshay Bichkar, Corey James Blue, Jason Meyer, Maruthi Ravichandran, Bradley Dean Riedle
  • Publication number: 20240059274
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an electrically driven transmission fluid pump may be deactivated in response to an engine pull-up request so that a driveline disconnect clutch may provide more consistent torque transfer capacity during closing of the driveline disconnect clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Rajit Johri, Steven Anatole Frait
  • Patent number: 11898527
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting and scheduling which of a plurality of engine starting devices starts an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a scheduled start of the internal combustion engine via a driveline disconnect clutch is withdrawn during conditions when both a transmission gear shift is requested or in process and when a driver urgency level is greater than a threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Akshay Bichkar, Marin Assaliyski, Corey James Blue
  • Publication number: 20240017716
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a boost phase of a procedure to close a driveline disconnect clutch may be cut short in response to an engine changing state from not rotating to rotating so that the engine may be restarted in an alternative way. The system and methods may also predict a degraded engine start from a low engine cranking speed or a long cranking time duration so that the engine may be started in an alternative way to increase a possibility of starting the engine and decrease the severity of degraded driveline disturbance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Akshay Bichkar, Jason Meyer, Maruthi Ravichandran, Ravikumar Tumu, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Publication number: 20230356709
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting which of a plurality of engine starting devices starts an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, engine starting devices may be selected and operated while a vehicle is operating in a creep mode. The system and method may place a driveline disconnect clutch in a wait state or engage a flywheel starter to improve engine starting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Marin Assaliyski, Nicholas D. Moore, Calvin Trescott, Naginder Gogna, Rajit Johri
  • Patent number: 11807219
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a boost phase of a procedure to close a driveline disconnect clutch may be cut short in response to an engine changing state from not rotating to rotating so that the engine may be restarted in an alternative way. The system and methods may also predict a degraded engine start from a low engine cranking speed or a long cranking time duration so that the engine may be started in an alternative way to increase a possibility of starting the engine and decrease the severity of degraded driveline disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Akshay Bichkar, Jason Meyer, Maruthi Ravichandran, Ravikumar Tumu, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Publication number: 20230349351
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing starting of an internal combustion engine during shifting of a transmission of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, torque converter impeller speed or a torque multiplication ratio may be indicative of an unintended transmission downshift during engine starting so that an engine starting device may be switched to improve vehicle operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Marin Assaliyski, Akshay Bichkar, Naginder Gogna, Rajit Johri, Corey James Blue
  • Publication number: 20230332569
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting and scheduling which of a plurality of engine starting devices starts an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a scheduled start of the internal combustion engine via a driveline disconnect clutch is withdrawn during conditions when both a transmission gear shift is requested or in process and when a driver urgency level is greater than a threshold level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Akshay Bichkar, Marin Assaliyski, Corey James Blue
  • Publication number: 20230331213
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an integrated starter/generator (ISG) provides torque to restart an engine after the engine has been shut down and before engine speed is zero. An opening of a throttle is delayed to reduce driveline torque disturbances during engine restarting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Alec Bolthouse, Francis Thomas Connolly, Minku Lee, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Daniel Colvin
  • Publication number: 20230287858
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an integrated starter/generator (ISG) is operated in a speed control mode after an engine stop request. The ISG is prevented from stopping while engine rotational speed is greater than a threshold engine rotational speed so that the engine may be restarted via the ISG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Calvin Trescott, Nicholas David Moore, Rajit Johri, Naginder Gogna, Ralph Cunningham
  • Patent number: 11745720
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, the automatic engine stopping may be inhibited so that an engine may be restarted during change of mind conditions without generating a large driveline torque disturbance. The engine stopping may be inhibited based on a inhibit engine pull-down torque threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Akshay Bichkar, Jason Meyer, Rajit Johri
  • Publication number: 20230241983
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a drivetrain system comprising: a first prime mover for supplying a torque to a front axle; a second prime mover for supplying a torque to a rear axle; and a controller configured to, in response to a torque reversal, command the front axle and the rear axle to cross lash zones sequentially.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Bhavesh Paradkar, Rajit Johri, Naginder Gogna, Mary Catherine Farmer, Shunsuke Okubo
  • Publication number: 20230242090
    Abstract: Systems and methods for starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, the internal combustion is started via closing a driveline disconnect clutch and limiting a torque output rate of an electric machine so that vehicle speed may increase continuously without decreasing during engine cranking and run-up periods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Judhajit Roy, Jason Meyer, Sassan Farahmand, Mary Catherine Farmer, Fazal Syed
  • Publication number: 20230182717
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a boost phase of a procedure to close a driveline disconnect clutch may be cut short in response to an engine changing state from not rotating to rotating so that the engine may be restarted in an alternative way. The system and methods may also predict a degraded engine start from a low engine cranking speed or a long cranking time duration so that the engine may be started in an alternative way to increase a possibility of starting the engine and decrease the severity of degraded driveline disturbance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Akshay Bichkar, Jason Meyer, Maruthi Ravichandran, Ravikumar Tumu, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 11619201
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, a torque reserve for starting an engine via an electric machine is adjusted responsive to vehicle operating conditions. The torque reserve may set aside a portion of torque that an electric machine may produce for cranking and starting an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Ravikumar Tumu, Jason Meyer, Rajit Johri, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Publication number: 20230097669
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, the automatic engine stopping may be inhibited so that an engine may be restarted during change of mind conditions without generating a large driveline torque disturbance. The engine stopping may be inhibited based on a inhibit engine pull-down torque threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Akshay Bichkar, Jason Meyer, Rajit Johri