Patents by Inventor Massimiliano Maira

Massimiliano Maira 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: 8306722
    Abstract: A control system includes an engine speed control module, a fuel control module, and an air control module. The engine speed control module controls an actual speed of an engine based a desired power to be generated by combustion in the engine, wherein the desired power is a product of a desired speed of the engine and a desired torque output of the engine. When operating in a fuel lead mode, the fuel control module controls fuel flow in the engine by adjusting a desired fuel mass for each activated cylinder of the engine based on the desired power. The air control module controls air flow in the engine based on an actual air/fuel ratio of the engine resulting from the desired fuel mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Krishnendu Kar, Massimiliano Maira, Luca Scavone, Michael Livshiz
  • Patent number: 8051834
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling a throttle valve and an EGR valve in internal combustion engine. The method includes, the steps of measuring an actual fresh mass air flow value entering the engine, determining an exhaust oxygen concentration set point indicative of the oxygen concentration in the exhaust manifold, calculating an air reference value as a function of the exhaust oxygen concentration set point ([O2]spEM) and determining an oxygen concentration feedback value representative of the oxygen concentration in the engine. The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of obtaining a position information for the throttle valve by comparing the actual fresh mass air flow value and air reference value and obtaining a position information for the EGR valve by comparing the oxygen concentration feedback value and oxygen concentration set point. The method also includes the steps of controlling the throttle valve and the EGR valve according to the position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nando Vennettilli, Massimiliano Maira
  • Patent number: 8001834
    Abstract: A method for detecting faults in an air system of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold includes, but is not limited to the steps of measuring an oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold, estimating an intake oxygen control value in the intake manifold and estimating an intake oxygen reference value in the intake manifold based on said oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold. The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of calculating an intake deviation value as a difference between the intake oxygen control value and the intake oxygen reference value and verifying if the intake deviation value is greater than a predetermined first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nando Vennettilli, Massimiliano Maira, Morena Bruno
  • Publication number: 20110195817
    Abstract: A control system includes an engine speed control module, a fuel control module, and an air control module. The engine speed control module controls an actual speed of an engine based a desired power to be generated by combustion in the engine, wherein the desired power is a product of a desired speed of the engine and a desired torque output of the engine. When operating in a fuel lead mode, the fuel control module controls fuel flow in the engine by adjusting a desired fuel mass for each activated cylinder of the engine based on the desired power. The air control module controls air flow in the engine based on an actual air/fuel ratio of the engine resulting from the desired fuel mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Krishnendu Kar, Massimiliano Maira, Luca Scavone, Michael Livshiz
  • Patent number: 7946162
    Abstract: A method for estimating the oxygen concentration in an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, an EGR system, a throttle valve, an air mass sensor for measuring a fresh air flow ({dot over (m)}thr) entering the intake manifold through the throttle valve, and cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nando Vennettilli, Massimiliano Maira
  • Publication number: 20100175674
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling a throttle valve and an EGR valve in internal combustion engine. The method includes, but is not limited to the steps of measuring an actual fresh mass air flow value entering the engine, determining an exhaust oxygen concentration set point ([O2]spEM) indicative of the oxygen concentration in the exhaust manifold, calculating an air reference value (Airreference) as a function of the exhaust oxygen concentration set point ([O2]spEM) and determining an oxygen concentration feedback value ([O2]fdIM, [O2]fdEM) representative of the oxygen concentration in the engine. The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of obtaining a position information for the throttvalve by by comparing the actual fresh mass air flow value and air reference value (Airreference) and obtaining a position information for the EGR valve by comparing the oxygen concentration feedback value ([O2]fdIM, [O2]fdEM) and oxygen concentration set point ([O2]spEM).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nando VENNETTILLI, Massimiliano MAIRA
  • Publication number: 20100005872
    Abstract: A method for estimating the oxygen concentration in an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, an EGR system, a throttle valve, an air mass sensor for measuring a fresh air flow ({dot over (m)}thr) entering the intake manifold through the throttle valve, and cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nando VENNETTILLI, Massimiliano MAIRA
  • Publication number: 20090320577
    Abstract: A method for detecting faults in an air system of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold includes, but is not limited to the steps of measuring an oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold, estimating an intake oxygen control value in the intake manifold and estimating an intake oxygen reference value in the intake manifold based on said oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold. The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of calculating an intake deviation value as a difference between the intake oxygen control value and the intake oxygen reference value and verifying if the intake deviation value is greater than a predetermined first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nando VENNETTILLI, Massimiliano MAIRA, Morena BRUNO
  • Patent number: 6728626
    Abstract: In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, equipped with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for the variable operation of the engine's inlet valves, an indicator of the differences in the amount of air aspirated by the cylinders of the engine during the respective induction phase is provided and said system controls the various inlet valves of the engine in a differentiated manner, varying the time and/or opening travel for the purpose of minimizing the differences between the amounts of air aspirated by the various cylinders of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
    Inventors: Massimiliano Maira, Francesco Richard
  • Publication number: 20040002809
    Abstract: In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, equipped with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for the variable operation of the engine's inlet valves, an indicator of the differences in the amount of air aspirated by the cylinders of the engine during the respective induction phase is provided and said system controls the various inlet valves of the engine in a differentiated manner, varying the time and/or opening travel for the purpose of minimizing the differences between the amounts of air aspirated by the various cylinders of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Applicant: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Massimiliano Maira, Francesco Richard