Patents by Inventor Robert M. Olree

Robert M. Olree 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: 8710973
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining quality of the transferred body of oil and determining the remaining oil life based on the determined quality and volume of the body of oil. The method additionally includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric W. Schneider, Matthew J. Snider, Robert M. Olree, Eric R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8468982
    Abstract: An engine system includes a concentration determination module and an additive dispensing module. The concentration determination module determines an amount of an additive in at least one of an oil system of an engine and a fuel system of the engine. The additive dispensing module dispenses a supplemental additive into at least one of the oil system and the fuel system when the amount of the additive is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Inventors: Eric R. Johnson, Eric W. Schneider, Robert M. Olree, Matthew J. Snider, James L. Linden, Steven P. Kemp
  • Patent number: 8392054
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining a factor representative of a volume of oil from the transferred body of oil that is exposed to a combustion event in the engine. Additionally, the method includes determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and the determined factor representative of a volume of oil that is exposed to a combustion event. Moreover, the method includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric W. Schneider, Matthew J. Snider, Robert M. Olree, David R. Staley
  • Patent number: 8359913
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining whether an oil squirter is present in the engine. Additionally, the method includes determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and whether an oil squirter is present in the engine. Moreover, the method includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric W. Schneider, Matthew J. Snider, Robert M. Olree, Daniel H. Blossfeld
  • Patent number: 8355880
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, the state of engine oil degradation is monitored and determined using the size of viscosity hysteresis during heating-cooling cycles. In another exemplary embodiment, the state of engine oil degradation is monitored and determined using the sign of viscosity hysteresis during heating-cooling cycles. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the state of engine oil degradation is monitored and determined using relative viscosity changes hysteresis during heating-cooling cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ion C. Halalay, Eric W. Schneider, Robert M. Olree, David R. Staley
  • Publication number: 20120042719
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining whether an oil squirter is present in the engine. Additionally, the method includes determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and whether an oil squirter is present in the engine. Moreover, the method includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Schneider, Matthew J. Snider, Robert M. Olree, Daniel Hicks Blossfeld
  • Publication number: 20120046823
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining a factor representative of a volume of oil from the transferred body of oil that is exposed to a combustion event in the engine. Additionally, the method includes determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and the determined factor representative of a volume of oil that is exposed to a combustion event. Moreover, the method includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Schneider, Matthew J. Snider, Robert M. Olree, David R. Staley
  • Publication number: 20120044065
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining quality of the transferred body of oil and determining the remaining oil life based on the determined quality and volume of the body of oil. The method additionally includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric W. Schneider, Matthew J. Snider, Robert M. Olree, Eric R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8082776
    Abstract: This invention is a method for determining the quality of lubrication oil added to a quantity of used oil in an operating engine or mechanism such as occurs during an oil change or when additional oil is added to maintain the vehicle manufacturer's specified total volume of oil. The method is based on identifying the electrical resistivity characteristics of the oil addition, representative of both the base oil formulation and its additive package, and, through comparison with previously-generated resistivity data on multiple oils identifying the oil addition. The added oil may then be compared with manufacturer specifications for the specific application to determine whether it meets recommended manufacturer requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ion C. Halalay, Eric W. Schneider, Robert M. Olree
  • Publication number: 20110125425
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, the state of engine oil degradation is monitored and determined using the size of viscosity hysteresis during heating-cooling cycles. In another exemplary embodiment, the state of engine oil degradation is monitored and determined using the sign of viscosity hysteresis during heating-cooling cycles. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the state of engine oil degradation is monitored and determined using relative viscosity changes hysteresis during heating-cooling cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Ion C. Halalay, Eric W. Schneider, Robert M. Olree, David R. Staley
  • Publication number: 20100300188
    Abstract: This invention is a method for determining the quality of lubrication oil added to a quantity of used oil in an operating engine or mechanism such as occurs during an oil change or when additional oil is added to maintain the vehicle manufacturer's specified total volume of oil. The method is based on identifying the electrical resistivity characteristics of the oil addition, representative of both the base oil formulation and its additive package, and, through comparison with previously-generated resistivity data on multiple oils identifying the oil addition. The added oil may then be compared with manufacturer specifications for the specific application to determine whether it meets recommended manufacturer requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Ion C. Halalay, Eric W. Schneider, Robert M. Olree
  • Publication number: 20100228400
    Abstract: An engine system includes a concentration determination module and an additive dispensing module. The concentration determination module determines an amount of an additive in at least one of an oil system of an engine and a fuel system of the engine. The additive dispensing module dispenses a supplemental additive into at least one of the oil system and the fuel system when the amount of the additive is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric R. Johnson, Eric W. Schneider, Robert M. Olree, Matthew J. Snider, James L. Linden, Steven P. Kemp
  • Patent number: 7543573
    Abstract: A recovery system for fuel for motor vehicles includes a canister having an absorbent media such as activated charcoal. The canister includes an inlet in fluid communication with the blow-by vent of an internal combustion engine and an outlet in communication with the air intake manifold of the engine. Control valves may be incorporated into the system to control fluid flows. As a single vaporization temperature fuel or fuel constituent such as ethanol that has mixed with engine oil during startup vaporizes when the oil reaches its vaporization temperature, it is first absorbed in the activated charcoal and then slowly released and burned in the engine. The system has particular applicability to E85 fueled vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Olree
  • Publication number: 20080295810
    Abstract: A recovery system for fuel for motor vehicles includes a canister having an absorbent media such as activated charcoal. The canister includes an inlet in fluid communication with the blow-by vent of an internal combustion engine and an outlet in communication with the air intake manifold of the engine. Control valves may be incorporated into the system to control fluid flows. As a single vaporization temperature fuel or fuel constituent such as ethanol that has mixed with engine oil during startup vaporizes when the oil reaches its vaporization temperature, it is first absorbed in the activated charcoal and then slowly released and burned in the engine. The system has particular applicability to E85 fueled vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventor: Robert M. Olree