Patents by Inventor Michael Fodor

Michael Fodor 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).

  • Publication number: 20060080022
    Abstract: In one example, A method for controlling a powertrain of a vehicle with wheels, the vehicle having a pedal actuated by a driver, is described. The method may include generating powertrain torque transmitted to the wheels in a first relation to actuation of the pedal by the driver during a first condition where said transmitted torque causes said wheels to slip relative to a surface; overriding said driver actuated powertrain torque to control said slip; and during a second condition after said first condition where said vehicle is moving less than a threshold, generating powertrain torque transmitted to the wheels in a second relation to actuation of the pedal by the driver, where for a given pedal position, less powertrain torque is transmitted with said second relation compared to said first relation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Davor Hrovat, Michael Fodor, Mitch McConnell
  • Patent number: 5520146
    Abstract: An electronic controller for automatically adjusting the position of a throttle valve in either a single valve or a series valve throttle mechanism. A primary controller (20) produces an output signal (18) suitable for directly operating the single throttle valve in a "drive by wire" throttle system. When used to position a valve (32) in a two-valve series throttle system, the other valve (34) being directly controlled by the accelerator pedal, a signal translation unit (30) is employed to modify the output signal (18) from the primary controller in response to the current setting of the accelerator-controlled valve (34) and values indicating the current air flow rate (Q.sub.1) and the intake manifold pressure (P.sub.m). The primary controller (20) and the signal translation unit are implemented using a conventional electronic engine control processor, with the signal translation being performed by table lookup operations (51-54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Davorin Hrovat, Michael Fodor, Minh N. Tran