Patents by Inventor Robert Lee Girdwood

Robert Lee Girdwood 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).

  • Method of operating a vehicle powertrain having a gas phase fuelable engine
    Patent number: 9624851
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle powertrain includes determining a selected powertrain operational mode. A demand fraction is determined. An internal combustion engine (ICE) is to output a maximum power when a gaseous fuel is conveyed to an injector of the ICE at a source pressure greater than a cutoff pressure. The source pressure in a container in fluid connection with the injector is determined. The gaseous fuel is received at the source pressure by the injector to inject the gaseous fuel into the ICE for combustion in response to the source pressure, demand fraction, or selected powertrain operation mode meeting a first set of criteria. The injector is prevented from injecting the gaseous fuel into the ICE and the powertrain is driven from an alternative power source in response to the source pressure, demand fraction, or selected powertrain operation mode meeting a second set of criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Anne M. Dailly, Jose Franca, Mei Cai, Arianna T. Morales, Mahmoud H. Abd Elhamid, Robert Lee Girdwood
  • METHOD OF OPERATING A VEHICLE POWERTRAIN
    Publication number: 20150226139
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle powertrain includes determining a selected powertrain operational mode. A demand fraction is determined. An internal combustion engine (ICE) is to output a maximum power when a gaseous fuel is conveyed to an injector of the ICE at a source pressure greater than a cutoff pressure. The source pressure in a container in fluid connection with the injector is determined. The gaseous fuel is received at the source pressure by the injector to inject the gaseous fuel into the ICE for combustion in response to the source pressure, demand fraction, or selected powertrain operation mode meeting a first set of criteria. The injector is prevented from injecting the gaseous fuel into the ICE and the powertrain is driven from an alternative power source in response to the source pressure, demand fraction, or selected powertrain operation mode meeting a second set of criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Anne M. Dailly, Jose Franca, Mei Cai, Arianna T. Morales, Mahmoud H. Abd Elhamid, Robert Lee Girdwood