Patents by Inventor Mike Barngrover

Mike Barngrover 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).

  • System and method for controlling shift hunting in variable transmissions
    Patent number: 8862351
    Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission (100) for a machine is disclosed. The transmission includes a variator (104). The transmission is operated in a first operating range (301). It is determined whether a current speed ratio is within a first predetermined range of a speed ratio associated with a first synchronous point (304) lying between the first operating range (301) and the second operating range (302). A desired speed ratio is determined and it is determined if the desired speed ratio is within a second predetermined range of the speed ratio. A shift between the first and second operating ranges (301, 302) is prevented and the variator (104) is controlled to hold the current speed ratio if the desired speed ratio is within the second predetermined range or the rate of acceleration of the machine is below the threshold acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Beyer, Adam Vaccari, Christopher Rhoades, Adam Nackers, Brian Lister, Mike Barngrover
  • System and method for controlling shift hunting in variable transmissions
    Publication number: 20130325270
    Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission (100) for a machine is disclosed. The transmission includes a variator (104). The transmission is operated in a first operating range (301). It is determined whether a current speed ratio is within a first predetermined range of a speed ratio associated with a first synchronous point (304) lying between the first operating range (301) and the second operating range (302). A desired speed ratio is determined and it is determined if the desired speed ratio is within a second predetermined range of the speed ratio. A shift between the first and second operating ranges (301, 302) is prevented and the variator (104) is controlled to hold the current speed ratio if the desired speed ratio is within the second predetermined range or the rate of acceleration of the machine is below the threshold acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Michael Beyer, Adam Vaccari, Christopher Rhoades, Adam Nackers, Brian Lister, Mike Barngrover