Patents by Inventor Richard Pothin

Richard Pothin 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: 20210188248
    Abstract: A method temporarily extends the autonomy of an electric vehicle including a traction battery having a nominal usable energy capacity that is less than its maximum actual energy capacity. The method includes an additional usable capacity release step so as to temporarily increase the autonomy of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Marco MARSILIA, Richard POTHIN
  • Patent number: 9558317
    Abstract: A system for limiting engine torque of a four-wheel-drive motor vehicle, including an actuator that is controlled and configured to distribute the engine torque to the drive wheels, a computer calculating at least one variable characteristic of an operation of the vehicle, and a module for limiting the engine torque. In addition, the limitation system includes a mechanism for deactivating the module for limiting the engine torque according to the variable characteristic of the operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Francois Foussard, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin, Nicolas Romani
  • Patent number: 9452743
    Abstract: A braking method for a motor vehicle including a hybrid or electric propulsion system, a hydraulic braking system, an electric braking system recuperating electrical energy, a brake pedal, systems to assist with driving of the vehicle, and a vehicle electronic stability control system. The method includes: selecting one of torque setpoints from between a pedal torque setpoint relating to position of or force supplied to the brake pedal, and a torque setpoint relating to the driver assistance systems; formulating a hydraulic braking torque setpoint independent of a state of the pedal by the electric or hybrid propulsion system; acquiring information relating to stability of the vehicle; formulating a hydraulic braking torque setpoint and an electric braking torque setpoint intended for the hybrid or electric propulsion system based on the selected torque setpoint, the independent hydraulic braking torque setpoint, and the information relating to the vehicle stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Hamid Azzi, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 9358982
    Abstract: A method for processing data recorded during a data acquisition, the data defining a correspondence between values representing torque transmitted by a clutch and values representing a position of a clutch control member. The processing method includes modifying the recorded data to define a modified correspondence between the values representing the torque transmitted by the clutch and the values representing the position of the clutch control member, the modified correspondence to be used in a hill start assist device of a motor vehicle including a power train connected to drive wheels by a transmission system including the clutch and a braking system, whereby the release of the braking system is automatically controlled by the assist device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Christophe Desfriches, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 9156349
    Abstract: A motor vehicle with four drive wheels mounted on first and second axles, including: a transfer shaft connected to the first axle and a controlled coupling that can transfer part of the torque from the transfer shaft to the second axle; a mechanism determining respective speeds of the first and second axles, and a torque distribution control system configured to determine a slip value representative of the speed difference between the first and second axles and to control the coupling. The torque distribution control system is further configured to control the coupling such as to suppress any torque transfer via the coupling when the average slip value over a pre-determined period exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Stephane Guegan, Richard Pothin, Nicolas Romani
  • Patent number: 8670910
    Abstract: A method for controlling a speed difference between speed of wheels of a front axle and speed of wheels of a rear axle of a four-wheel drive vehicle. The method: determines an initial speed difference set point based on the speed of the vehicle; determines one or more intermediate speed difference set points based on one or more operational parameters of the vehicle; modulates the initial speed difference set point based on the intermediate speed difference set points to obtain a final speed difference set point; measures the speed difference and compares the measured speed difference with the final speed difference set point; and controls the measured speed difference, so that the measured speed difference reaches the final speed difference set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Francois Foussard, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin, Nicolas Romani, Philippe Saint-Loup
  • Patent number: 8589044
    Abstract: A method for processing a signal originating from a position sensor of a motor vehicle control member, to produce a processed signal relating to the position of the control member. The method includes: a filtering phase in which the signal originating from the sensor is filtered using a first filter to obtain a first filtered signal, and a substitution phase in which the first filtered signal is supplied as the processed signal, a second signal being added to the first filtered signal if the instantaneous value thereof is greater than the value of a first threshold parameter, and, in the opposite case, the signal originating from the sensor is provided as the processed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Christophe Desfriches, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 8589046
    Abstract: A method of releasing brakes of a motor vehicle including: if no vehicle start command takes place, after manual application of the vehicle brakes in a position to immobilize the vehicle when at rest is over, an assistance device progressively releases the brakes according to a suitable control scheme configured to make the vehicle move under its own weight, generally tending towards predetermined non-zero speed and acceleration conditions, and then, when the predetermined conditions are considered to have been reached, the assistance device stops releasing the brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Richard Pothin, Alessandro De-Rinaldis, Olivier Cayol
  • Publication number: 20130282250
    Abstract: A braking method for a motor vehicle including a hybrid or electric propulsion system, a hydraulic braking system, an electric braking system recuperating electrical energy, a brake pedal, systems to assist with driving of the vehicle, and a vehicle electronic stability control system. The method includes: selecting one of torque setpoints from between a pedal torque setpoint relating to position of or force supplied to the brake pedal, and a torque setpoint relating to the driver assistance systems; formulating a hydraulic braking torque setpoint independent of a state of the pedal by the electric or hybrid propulsion system; acquiring information relating to stability of the vehicle; formulating a hydraulic braking torque setpoint and an electric braking torque setpoint intended for the hybrid or electric propulsion system based on the selected torque setpoint, the independent hydraulic braking torque setpoint, and the information relating to the vehicle stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Hamid Azzi, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 8532895
    Abstract: An assist device for a vehicle including a power train connected to drive wheels by a clutch, a bus, and a power-assist parking brake. The device includes sensors that transmit signals to the bus and a mechanism for learning-based estimation of a clutch curve on the basis of the signals, the curve connecting the position of the clutch pedal and a maximum torque range that can be transmitted by the corresponding clutch and a mechanism phasing the delivered signals to reduce an influence of noise on the sensors associated with the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Christophe Desfriches, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 8515640
    Abstract: A device for determining, when driving a vehicle, a mapping of torque transmitted by a clutch of the automobile based on a position of a clutch control member. The device includes a mechanism updating the mapping based on position thresholds of the clutch control member. The updating modifies values of the thresholds based on minimum and maximum values of the positions of the control member stored in the mapping and on current values of the thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S. A. S.
    Inventors: Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin, Christophe Desfriches
  • Patent number: 8463517
    Abstract: A method for hill start assistance for a motor vehicle and to an associated device that includes a clutch and a transmission between the clutch and driving wheels of the vehicle. The method determines the torque of the clutch for maintaining the vehicle in an immobile position based on a known engine torque, wherein the torque of the clutch is determined by taking into account a portion of the engine torque dedicated to operation of constituent mechanisms of the vehicle other than the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Alessandro De Rinaldis, Mickael Mallet, Richard Pothin, Yves Le Vourch
  • Patent number: 8447475
    Abstract: A method providing assistance with hill starts to a vehicle including a power plant connected to the driven wheels by a clutch and an automatic parking brake. The method generates an instruction to store in a memory a characteristic of a gradient which corresponds to a state in which it is estimated that the user and the vehicle are ready to pull away, on the basis of conditions that given physical parameters of the vehicle must satisfy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Christophe Desfriches, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 8442734
    Abstract: A control assist method for a vehicle including a power train connected to drive wheels by a clutch. The method updates a clutch curve which connects a position of a clutch pedal and a maximum torque that can be transmitted by the corresponding clutch, as a function of reliability thereof, the reliability being lower when the vehicle is first used and increasing with use of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Christophe Desfriches, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 8412436
    Abstract: A hill start assistance method for a user of a vehicle having a braking system and an electronic braking control, provided with at least one master cylinder pressure sensor, whereby the pressure on each caliper of the vehicle can be controlled. The method includes: estimating the torque transmitted by the clutch, recording information corresponding to the value of the master cylinder pressure resulting from a user's actuation of the brake pedal, and recording the information recorded corresponding to the value of the master cylinder pressure when the user actuates the brake pedal again by pressing harder on the pedal or partially releasing same. When the user releases the brake pedal fully, the braking system maintains the pressure on the calipers for a predetermined period of time, as a function of a pressure set value equal to the value of the last item of information recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Mickael Mallet, Richard Pothin
  • Publication number: 20130073167
    Abstract: A motor vehicle with four drive wheels mounted on first and second axles, including: a transfer shaft connected to the first axle and a controlled coupling that can transfer part of the torque from the transfer shaft to the second axle; a mechanism determining respective speeds of the first and second axles, and a torque distribution control system configured to determine a slip value representative of the speed difference between the first and second axles and to control the coupling. The torque distribution control system is further configured to control the coupling such as to suppress any torque transfer via the coupling when the average slip value over a pre-determined period exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Stephane Guegan, Richard Pothin, Nicolas Romani
  • Publication number: 20130066534
    Abstract: A system for limiting engine torque of a four-wheel-drive motor vehicle, including an actuator that is controlled and configured to distribute the engine torque to the drive wheels, a computer calculating at least one variable characteristic of an operation of the vehicle, and a module for limiting the engine torque. In addition, the limitation system includes a mechanism for deactivating the module for limiting the engine torque according to the variable characteristic of the operation of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Renault s.a.s.
    Inventors: Francois Foussard, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin, Nicolas Romani
  • Patent number: 8392081
    Abstract: A method for assisting with hill maneuvers for a vehicle, including a propulsion unit connected to the drive wheels by a gearbox and a clutch or torque converter, and an assisted parking brake. In the method a threshold breakaway torque is determined as a function of longitudinal forces between the wheels of the vehicles and the ground. During a degraded operation, when a signal corresponding to a characteristic of the slope is received that cannot be used and/or when a computer does not have available a signal characteristic of an engaged gear ratio, a threshold value for the breakaway torque is determined without taking account of an actual value of the characteristic of the slope and/or of the characteristic of the gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin
  • Publication number: 20120136504
    Abstract: A driving method considering driving situations using at least one effective control signal of a member or group of members of an automobile, the method: making an arbitration between different control strategies each corresponding to a driving context, each control strategy being marked with an identifier continuously calculating an optimal control signal corresponding to each of the strategies; continuously transmitting a value representative of the identifier of the selected strategy; detecting if a strategy identifier change has occurred; when a change is detected, generating a time function x(t) increasing from 0 to 1 over a finite time interval starting when the strategy change has been detected; when a strategy identifier change has been detected, transmitting, during at least one time interval following the identifier change, an effective control signal which is the sum of the optimal signal of the control strategy following the last identifier change weighed by the value x(t) and of the optimal signa
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Alessandro De-Rinaldis, Richard Pothin, Philippe Saint-Loup, Nicolas Romani, Alessandro Monti
  • Publication number: 20120029780
    Abstract: A method for controlling a speed difference between speed of wheels of a front axle and speed of wheels of a rear axle of a four-wheel drive vehicle. The method: determines an initial speed difference set point based on the speed of the vehicle; determines one or more intermediate speed difference set points based on one or more operational parameters of the vehicle; modulates the initial speed difference set point based on the intermediate speed difference set points to obtain a final speed difference set point; measures the speed difference and compares the measured speed difference with the final speed difference set point; and controls the measured speed difference, so that the measured speed difference reaches the final speed difference set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Francois Foussard, Alessandro Monti, Richard Pothin, Nicolas Romani, Philippe Saint-Loup