Patents by Inventor Patrick J. O'Leary

Patrick J. O'Leary 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: 10207699
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes a combustion engine configured to output a propulsion torque to satisfy a propulsion demand, and a traction electric machine to generate a supplemental torque to selectively supplement the propulsion torque. The propulsion system also includes a controller programmed to forecast an acceleration demand based on at least one estimation model. The controller is also programmed to issue a command indicative of a required axle torque corresponding to the acceleration demand. The controller is further programmed to engage at least one fuel conservation action in response to the required axle torque being within a first predetermined torque threshold range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Venkata Prasad Atluri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Jin-Woo Lee, Kevin J. Robinet, Sai Rajagopalan, Chen-fang Chang, Michael Livshiz, Patrick J. O'leary
  • Publication number: 20180105158
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes a combustion engine configured to output a propulsion torque to satisfy a propulsion demand, and a traction electric machine to generate a supplemental torque to selectively supplement the propulsion torque. The propulsion system also includes a controller programmed to forecast an acceleration demand based on at least one estimation model. The controller is also programmed to issue a command indicative of a required axle torque corresponding to the acceleration demand. The controller is further programmed to engage at least one fuel conservation action in response to the required axle torque being within a first predetermined torque threshold range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Venkata Prasad Atluri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Jin-Woo Lee, Kevin J. Robinet, Sai Rajagopalan, Chen-fang Chang, Michael Livshiz, Patrick J. O'leary
  • Patent number: 9796385
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a cruise control module, an engine control module, and a brake control module. The cruise control module determines a cruise torque request based on at least one of a following distance of a vehicle and a rate at which the vehicle is approaching an object. The engine control module determines a negative torque capacity of a powertrain. The powertrain includes an engine and an electric motor. The brake control module applies a friction brake when the cruise torque request is less than the negative torque capacity of the powertrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric E. Krueger, Matthew J. Klemmer, Kiana Bassey, Christopher E. Whitney, Patrick J. O'Leary
  • Patent number: 9296368
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for determining an effective brake pedal position for a vehicle. A determination is made as to whether automatic braking is occurring for a vehicle. If the automatic braking is occurring, a measure of braking is determined for the vehicle. The effective pedal position of the brake pedal is determined to be a position of the brake pedal that would be expected to be required to attain the measure of braking if automatic braking were not occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Patrick J. O'Leary, Bret J. Keller, Barbara A. Shuler, Eric E. Krueger
  • Publication number: 20150120159
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for determining an effective brake pedal position for a vehicle. A determination is made as to whether. automatic braking is occurring for a vehicle. If the automatic braking is occurring, a measure of braking is determined for the vehicle. The effective pedal position of the brake pedal is determined to be a position of the brake pedal that would be expected to be required to attain the measure of braking if automatic braking were not occurring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: PATRICK J. O'LEARY, BRET J. KELLER, BARBARA A. SHULER, ERIC E. KRUEGER
  • Patent number: 9014941
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle comprising an adaptive cruise control system and an engine control module is provided. The engine control module is coupled to the adaptive cruise control system. The method comprises issuing a speed reduction signal from the adaptive cruise control system, verifying a speed reduction with a first sensor using the adaptive cruise control system, verifying the speed reduction with a second sensor using the engine control module, thereafter, receiving a resume signal from an operator input device, and executing a speed increase of the vehicle with the engine control module in response to receiving the resume signal with the engine control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pamela I. Labuhn, Patrick J. O'Leary, Barbara A. Shuler, James Heath Holbrook
  • Patent number: 8897956
    Abstract: A system includes a pedal position sensor that senses a pedal position of a vehicle pedal when the vehicle pedal is in a known position. The system also includes a learn window determination module that selects between a first pedal position range and a second pedal position range that corresponds to the known position. The system further includes a pedal fault determination module that determines a fault in the vehicle pedal based on the pedal position and the selected one of the first pedal position range and the second pedal position range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: Patrick J. O'Leary
  • Publication number: 20140277989
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a cruise control module, an engine control module, and a brake control module. The cruise control module determines a cruise torque request based on at least one of a following distance of a vehicle and a rate at which the vehicle is approaching an object. The engine control module determines a negative torque capacity of a powertrain. The powertrain includes an engine and an electric motor. The brake control module applies a friction brake when the cruise torque request is less than the negative torque capacity of the powertrain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: ERIC E. KRUEGER, Matthew J. Klemmer, Kiana Bassey, Christopher E. Whitney, Patrick J. O'Leary
  • Patent number: 8762023
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle comprising an adaptive cruise control system and an engine control module is provided. The engine control module is coupled to the adaptive cruise control system. The method comprises issuing a speed reduction signal from the adaptive cruise control system, verifying a speed reduction with a first sensor using the adaptive cruise control system, verifying the speed reduction with a second sensor using the engine control module, thereafter, receiving a resume signal from an operator input device, and executing a speed increase of the vehicle with the engine control module in response to receiving the resume signal with the engine control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pamela L. Labuhn, Patrick J. O'Leary, Barbara A. Shuler, James Heath Holbrook
  • Publication number: 20140172266
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle comprising an adaptive cruise control system and an engine control module is provided. The engine control module is coupled to the adaptive cruise control system. The method comprises issuing a speed reduction signal from the adaptive cruise control system, verifying a speed reduction with a first sensor using the adaptive cruise control system, verifying the speed reduction with a second sensor using the engine control module, thereafter, receiving a resume signal from an operator input device, and executing a speed increase of the vehicle with the engine control module in response to receiving the resume signal with the engine control module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Pamela I. LABUHN, Patrick J. O'LEARY, Barbara A. SHULER, James HEATH HOLBROOK
  • Publication number: 20140142813
    Abstract: A system includes a pedal position sensor that senses a pedal position of a vehicle pedal when the vehicle pedal is in a known position. The system also includes a learn window determination module that selects between a first pedal position range and a second pedal position range that corresponds to the known position. The system further includes a pedal fault determination module that determines a fault in the vehicle pedal based on the pedal position and the selected one of the first pedal position range and the second pedal position range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Patrick J. O'Leary
  • Publication number: 20130238212
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle comprising an adaptive cruise control system and an engine control module is provided. The engine control module is coupled to the adaptive cruise control system. The method comprises issuing a speed reduction signal from the adaptive cruise control system, verifying a speed reduction with a first sensor using the adaptive cruise control system, verifying the speed reduction with a second sensor using the engine control module, thereafter, receiving a resume signal from an operator input device, and executing a speed increase of the vehicle with the engine control module in response to receiving the resume signal with the engine control module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Pamela L. LABUHN, Patrick J. O'LEARY, Barbara A. SHULER, James HEATH HOLBROOK
  • Patent number: 8521377
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle speed module that determines a speed of a vehicle. An engine control module receives a first target speed signal and a torque request signal from an adaptive cruise control (ACC) module. The ACC module is separate from the engine control module. A first comparison module compares the first target speed signal to the speed of the vehicle to generate a first assessment signal. A first target speed module sets a second target speed signal equal to one of the first target speed signal and a predetermined value based on the first assessment signal. The engine control module controls an engine to provide an engine output torque based on at least one of the torque request signal and the second target speed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventors: Patrick J. O'Leary, Barbara A. Shuler
  • Patent number: 8452513
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle comprising an adaptive cruise control system and an engine control module is provided. The engine control module is coupled to the adaptive cruise control system. The method comprises issuing a speed reduction signal from the adaptive cruise control system, verifying a speed reduction with a first sensor using the adaptive cruise control system, verifying the speed reduction with a second sensor using the engine control module, thereafter, receiving a resume signal from an operator input device, and executing a speed increase of the vehicle with the engine control module in response to receiving the resume signal with the engine control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pamela I. Labuhn, Patrick J. O'Leary, Barbara A. Shuler, James Heath Holbrook
  • Patent number: 8437938
    Abstract: An axle torque control system includes an axle torque request module that receives an axle torque request and that selectively outputs the axle torque request. An axle torque conversion module receives the axle torque request and converts the axle torque request to an engine torque request. A rate limit module receives the engine torque request and a pedal engine torque request and selectively adjusts the engine torque request based on the pedal engine torque request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Vivek Mehta, Barbara A. Shuler, Patrick J. O'Leary, Jun Lu
  • Patent number: 8301355
    Abstract: A cruise control system comprises a passing detection module and a speed regulator module. The passing detection module selectively detects execution of a passing maneuver based on an accelerator pedal position (APP) measured by an APP sensor and actuation of a Set/Coast input to the cruise control system when a vehicle speed is greater than a target speed. The speed regulator module regulates the vehicle speed based on the target speed and updates the target speed to the vehicle speed when the passing maneuver is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Inventors: Patrick J. O'Leary, Barbara A. Shuler
  • Patent number: 8255134
    Abstract: An adaptive cruise control system for a vehicle includes a deceleration module, a downshift trigger module, and a shift module. The deceleration module determines a deceleration rate based on a speed of at least one of the vehicle and an engine of the vehicle. The downshift trigger module generates a threshold signal based on the deceleration rate. The shift module generates a downshift signal when the speed is less than the threshold signal and while the vehicle is operating in a manual transmission mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventors: Patrick J. O'Leary, Barbara A. Shuler
  • Patent number: 8131442
    Abstract: A method for operating a cruise control system for a vehicle. The method can identify certain low speed environments, like parking lots, where usage of the cruise control system is usually inappropriate and can disable the system accordingly. According to one embodiment, a full speed range adaptive (FSRA) cruise control system compares a steering wheel position to a steering wheel threshold to determine if the vehicle is operating in an inappropriate low speed environment and, if so, disables the cruise control system accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pamela I. Labuhn, Charles A. Green, James N. Nickolaou, Patrick J. O'Leary, Daniel J. Bartz
  • Patent number: 8099221
    Abstract: A method and control module for operating a vehicle powertrain in response to a cruise control includes a primary closed loop control module generating a primary closed loop control signal and a primary torque request signal based on the primary closed loop control signal. The control module also includes a secondary closed loop control module generating a secondary closed loop control signal and a secondary torque request signal based on the secondary closed loop control signal. A transmission control module controls a transmission based on the primary torque request control signal and the secondary torque request signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventors: Patrick J. O'Leary, Barbara A. Shuler
  • Patent number: 7957874
    Abstract: A method for returning driver control in a vehicle during automatic braking includes the steps of determining a minimum value of accelerator pedal position during the automatic braking, determining a current value of accelerator pedal position, and disengaging the automatic braking, if the current value is greater than the minimum value by at least a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pamela I. Labuhn, Osman D. Altan, Charles A. Green, Uzmaa H. Balbale, William J. Chundrlik, Jr., Patrick J. O'Leary