Patents by Inventor Michael S. Lukich
Michael S. Lukich 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).
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Patent number: 8061123Abstract: A method for treating a flow of exhaust from an engine includes injecting reductant into the flow of exhaust with an injector disposed upstream from a catalytic device. The injector and the catalytic device are disposed in an exhaust system for the engine. The method also includes passing the flow of exhaust through the catalytic device, sensing a characteristic of at least one of the exhaust system and the engine, monitoring the sensed characteristic to recognize a condition associated with a formation of a decomposition material formed from the reductant, and controlling an operation of at least one of the engine and the exhaust system to increase a temperature in the exhaust system in response to the recognized condition.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: James Joshua Driscoll, Michael S. Bond, Michael S. Lukich
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Patent number: 7832200Abstract: An exhaust system for use with a combustion engine is disclosed. The exhaust system may have an exhaust passageway, and a reduction catalyst disposed within the exhaust passageway. The exhaust system may also have a first sensor located to generate a first signal indicative of an operational parameter of the reduction catalyst, and a second sensor located to generate a second signal indicative of a performance parameter of the reduction catalyst. The exhaust system may further have an injection device located to inject reductant upstream of the reduction catalyst, and a controller in communication with the combustion engine, the first sensor, the second sensor, and the injection device. The controller may be configured to determine a NOX production of the combustion engine, determine an amount of reductant that should be injected based on the NOX production and the first signal, and adjust the amount based on the second signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Caterpillar IncInventors: Mary Lou Kesse, Chris L. Wynkoop, Zhiyong Wei, Michael S. Lukich, Wade D. Scrivner, Amit Jayachandran
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Publication number: 20090266058Abstract: An exhaust system for use with a combustion engine is disclosed. The exhaust system may have an exhaust passageway, and a reduction catalyst disposed within the exhaust passageway. The exhaust system may also have a first sensor located to generate a first signal indicative of an operational parameter of the reduction catalyst, and a second sensor located to generate a second signal indicative of a performance parameter of the reduction catalyst. The exhaust system may further have an injection device located to inject reductant upstream of the reduction catalyst, and a controller in communication with the combustion engine, the first sensor, the second sensor, and the injection device. The controller may be configured to determine a NOX production of the combustion engine, determine an amount of reductant that should be injected based on the NOX production and the first signal, and adjust the amount based on the second signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2008Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Mary Lou Kesse, Chris L. Wynkoop, Zhiyong Wei, Michael S. Lukich, Wade D. Scrivner, Amit Jayachandran
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Publication number: 20090107119Abstract: A method for treating a flow of exhaust from an engine includes injecting reductant into the flow of exhaust with an injector disposed upstream from a catalytic device. The injector and the catalytic device are disposed in an exhaust system for the engine. The method also includes passing the flow of exhaust through the catalytic device, sensing a characteristic of at least one of the exhaust system and the engine, monitoring the sensed characteristic to recognize a condition associated with a formation of a decomposition material formed from the reductant, and controlling an operation of at least one of the engine and the exhaust system to increase a temperature in the exhaust system in response to the recognized condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Inventors: James Joshua Driscoll, Michael S. Bond, Michael S. Lukich
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Patent number: 6879903Abstract: A method of estimating an injection delay of a fuel injector. A baseline injection delay curve representing an injection delay for a predetermined type of fuel injector is established for a range of rail pressures. At least one test rail pressure for the predetermined type of fuel injector is identified based on the baseline injection delay curve. An injection delay of a selected fuel injector of the predetermined type is measured at the at least one test rail pressure. The injection delay of the selected fuel injector is estimated based on the baseline injection delay curve and the measured injection delay of the selected fuel injector at the identified test rail pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2003Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Caterpillar IncInventors: Salim A. Jaliwala, Michael S. Lukich, Scott R. Schuricht, Rammohan Sankar
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Patent number: 6801847Abstract: A method of estimating a performance characteristic of a fuel injector is provided. A baseline performance curve for a predetermined type of fuel injector is established. At least one test point for the predetermined type of fuel injector is identified based on the baseline performance curve. A performance characteristic of a selected fuel injector of the predetermined type is measured at the at least one identified test point. A performance characteristic of the selected fuel injector is estimated based on the baseline performance curve and the measured performance characteristics of the selected fuel injector at the identified test point.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2002Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: Caterpillar IncInventors: Salim A. Jaliwala, Michael S. Lukich, Scott R. Schuricht, Rammohan Sankar
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Publication number: 20040128055Abstract: A method of estimating an injection delay of a fuel injector. A baseline injection delay curve representing an injection delay for a predetermined type of fuel injector is established for a range of rail pressures. At least one test rail pressure for the predetermined type of fuel injector is identified based on the baseline injection delay curve. An injection delay of a selected fuel injector of the predetermined type is measured at the at least one test rail pressure. The injection delay of the selected fuel injector is estimated based on the baseline injection delay curve and the measured injection delay of the selected fuel injector at the identified test rail pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2003Publication date: July 1, 2004Applicant: Caterpillar, Inc.Inventors: Salim A. Jaliwala, Michael S. Lukich, Scott R. Schuricht, Rammohan Sankar
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Publication number: 20040128054Abstract: A method of estimating a performance characteristic of a fuel injector is provided. A baseline performance curve for a predetermined type of fuel injector is established. At least one test point for the predetermined type of fuel injector is identified based on the baseline performance curve. A performance characteristic of a selected fuel injector of the predetermined type is measured at the at least one identified test point. A performance characteristic of the selected fuel injector is estimated based on the baseline performance curve and the measured performance characteristics of the selected fuel injector at the identified test point.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2002Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventors: Salim A. Jaliwala, Michael S. Lukich, Scott R. Schuricht, Rammohan Sankar
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Patent number: 6694953Abstract: Although injection timing accuracy is sensitive to rail pressure, injection quantity of the fuel injection event is strongly a function of rail pressure. Thus, delivery accuracy of each injection event depends strongly upon the accuracy of a rail pressure estimate used in determining the injection control signal characteristics. These injection control signal characteristics include a calculated delay between a start of control current and start of injection, as well as the duration of the control signal. The present invention takes a rail pressure measurement substantially before an injection event, and then utilizes a rail pressure predictor model to predict what the rail pressure will be at each injection event in a succeeding injection sequence. This estimated rail pressure is then used as the means for determining the fuel injection control signal characteristics for that succeeding injection event.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2002Date of Patent: February 24, 2004Assignee: Caterpillar IncInventors: Travis E. Barnes, Michael S. Lukich
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Publication number: 20030121501Abstract: Although injection timing accuracy is sensitive to rail pressure, injection quantity of the fuel injection event is strongly a function of rail pressure. Thus, delivery accuracy of each injection event depends strongly upon the accuracy of a rail pressure estimate used in determining the injection control signal characteristics. These injection control signal characteristics include a calculated delay between a start of control current and start of injection, as well as the duration of the control signal. The present invention takes a rail pressure measurement substantially before an injection event, and then utilizes a rail pressure predictor model to predict what the rail pressure will be at each injection event in a succeeding injection sequence. This estimated rail pressure is then used as the means for determining the fuel injection control signal characteristics for that succeeding injection event.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventors: Travis E. Barnes, Michael S. Lukich
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Patent number: 6508107Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the oil grade of an actuating fluid in a fuel system. The method includes the steps of determining an actuating fluid temperature, a pump speed, and a peak pressure or a timing event of the actuating fluid, and responsively determining the oil grade of the actuating fluid.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2002Date of Patent: January 21, 2003Assignee: Caterpillar IncInventors: Darwin R. Carrell, Larry E. Kendrick, Gregory J. Speckhart, Michael S. Lukich
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Patent number: 6484696Abstract: A method of controlling a hydraulic system is preferably applied to common rail fuel injection systems. The problem in these systems is to control pressure in the common rail while at the same time maintaining the fluid supply to the rail in a way that precisely meets the dynamically changing consumption demands on the hydraulic system. In order to control the hydraulic system, the present invention contemplates the combination of a standard feedback controller with observer models of the various hardware items that make up the hydraulic system. Using this strategy, the system can generally be thought of as controlling fluid supply in an open loop type fashion based upon the consumption rates estimated by the various observer models, and utilizing a conventional feedback controller to make the slight pump adjustments needed to control pressure and to correct for any errors between the actual hardware performance and that predicted by the observer models.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Travis E. Barnes, Michael S. Lukich, David Milam, George M. Matta, Douglas E. Handly, Denis El Darazi, Meixing Lu, Nolan W. Wartick
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Publication number: 20020139350Abstract: A method of controlling a hydraulic system is preferably applied to common rail fuel injection systems. The problem in these systems is to control pressure in the common rail while at the same time maintaining the fluid supply to the rail in a way that precisely meets the dynamically changing consumption demands on the hydraulic system. In order to control the hydraulic system, the present invention contemplates the combination of a standard feedback controller with observer models of the various hardware items that make up the hydraulic system. Using this strategy, the system can generally be thought of as controlling fluid supply in an open loop type fashion based upon the consumption rates estimated by the various observer models, and utilizing a conventional feedback controller to make the slight pump adjustments needed to control pressure and to correct for any errors between the actual hardware performance and that predicted by the observer models.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2001Publication date: October 3, 2002Inventors: Travis E. Barnes, Michael S. Lukich, David Milam, George M. Matta, Douglas E. Handly, Denis El Darazi, Meixing Lu, Nolan W. Wartick
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Patent number: 6415652Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the oil grade of an actuating fluid in a fuel system. The method includes the steps of determining an actuating fluid temperature, a pump speed, and a peak pressure or a timing event of the actuating fluid, and responsively determining the oil grade of the actuating fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1999Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Darwin R. Carrell, Larry E. Kendrick, Gregory J. Speckhart, Michael S. Lukich
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Publication number: 20020083758Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the oil grade of an actuating fluid in a fuel system. The method includes the steps of determining an actuating fluid temperature, a pump speed, and a peak pressure or a timing event of the actuating fluid, and responsively determining the oil grade of the actuating fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2002Publication date: July 4, 2002Inventors: Darwin R. Carrell, Larry E. Kendrick, Gregory J. Speckhart, Michael S. Lukich
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Patent number: 6305358Abstract: With reference to the drawings and in operation, the present invention is adapted to provide a method and apparatus for dynamically controlling the injection timing of a fuel injector connected to a fuel system located within an engine. The method includes the steps of establishing a desired injection timing of the injector 104 and determining an fuel injection command delivery time in response to the desired injection timing, and responsively delivering the fuel injection command. The actual injection timing is determined, and then the injection command delivery time is modified in response to comparing the actual and the desired injection timing. Comparing the actual and desired injection timing provides for closed loop control of the injection timing of the fuel system 102.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1999Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventor: Michael S. Lukich
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Patent number: 6272859Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for controlling a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) in closed loop and open loop modes, and a switching mechanism for determining whether open loop or closed loop control laws should be used. In the closed loop mode, a correction factor, obtained from a pressure correction map based on engine speed and atmospheric pressure, is subtracted from the desired boost pressure to prevent overspeed of the turbocharger at lower atmospheric pressures. The actual boost pressure is then compared to the desired boost pressure after correction to obtain a boost pressure error signal. The boost pressure error signal is used as an input to a proportional integral differential control law that responsively produces a desired VGT vane position. A minimum limit on the desired VGT vane position is based on engine speed and fuel quantity, whereas a maximum allowable vane position may be a predetermined constant or function.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1998Date of Patent: August 14, 2001Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Travis E. Barnes, Gerald N. Coleman, Michael S. Lukich, Scott E. Nicholson, Paul M. Young
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Patent number: 6216528Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the viscosity range and/or oil grade of an actuating fluid in a fuel system. The method includes the steps of determining a flow, pressure, and temperature of the actuating fluid, and responsively determining the viscosity range and/or oil grade of the actuating fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 1998Date of Patent: April 17, 2001Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Darwin R. Carrell, Larry E. Kendrick, Michael S. Lukich, Kirk S. Shively
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Patent number: 6189378Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining a performance characteristic of at least one of a plurality of fuel injectors located within a fuel system. The method includes the steps of determining a first desired fuel quantity to be delivered by the plurality of injectors, suspending fuel delivery by one of the injectors, determining a second desired fuel quantity to be delivered by the injectors in response to the suspension, and determining a performance characteristic of the suspended injector in response to said first and the second desired fuel quantity.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1998Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Larry E. Kendrick, Michael S. Lukich, James H. Mutti
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Patent number: 6152107Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for controlling the amount of fuel delivered to an engine during operation at cold and warm temperatures using different sets of fuel rate maps designed to compensate fuel quantity signals to optimize engine performance. A switching mechanism based on engine coolant temperature is used to select which set of maps to use. When the engine coolant temperature is below a threshold level, a cold torque map provides a signal representing the duration limit of time that fuel is to be injected. A compensating factor derived from a cold temperature smoke map is used to adjust the cold torque map signal to limit the fuel amount to prevent excess smoke. When the engine coolant temperature is above the threshold, a fuel duration limit signal from a standard temperature torque map is compared to a fuel duration limit signal from a standard temperature smoke map, and the minimum between the two signals is selected for output to the fuel injectors.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 1998Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Travis E. Barnes, Michael S. Lukich