Patents by Inventor Robert Merrion
Robert Merrion 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).
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Patent number: 10267246Abstract: An internal-combustion engine has an electronically-controlled one of a turbocharger and an exhaust-driven turbo supercharger coupled to an exhaust duct of the engine, and the engine is controlled during a shift event of a transmission coupled to an output shaft of the engine by determining a target engine speed at the end of the shift event, and controlling electrical energy supplied to an electric machine, rotatably coupled to a rotatable shaft that is rotatably coupled to the electronically-controlled turbocharger or exhaust-driven turbo supercharger, to control rotation of the rotatable shaft coupled to the turbocharger or exhaust-driven turbo supercharger to attain the target engine speed.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.Inventors: Tyler R. Garrard, Robert Merrion, John Kresse
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Publication number: 20180030916Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling fuel rail pressure in a common rail fuel injection system. A desired rail pressure value is determined based on signals produced by one or more sensors, a feedback PCV control signal is determined based on a difference between the desired rail pressure value and a fuel rail pressure signal, a feedforward PCV signal is determined based on the desired rail pressure value, and a PCV control signal for controlling a pressure control valve fluidly coupled to the fuel rail is determined based on the feedback PCV control signal and the feedforward PCV control signal. The pressure control valve signal is correlated with the temperature of fuel exiting the pressure control valve such that operation of the pressure control valve in response to the PCV control signal results in a valve outlet orifice size which controls the temperature exiting fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2016Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventors: Ali Nabi, Qi Luo, Robert Merrion, John Kresse, Hosein Mahjoubi
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Publication number: 20170184038Abstract: An internal-combustion engine has an electronically-controlled one of a turbocharger and an exhaust-driven turbo supercharger coupled to an exhaust duct of the engine, and the engine is controlled during a shift event of a transmission coupled to an output shaft of the engine by determining a target engine speed at the end of the shift event, and controlling electrical energy supplied to an electric machine, rotatably coupled to a rotatable shaft that is rotatably coupled to the electronically-controlled turbocharger or exhaust-driven turbo supercharger, to control rotation of the rotatable shaft coupled to the turbocharger or exhaust-driven turbo supercharger to attain the target engine speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2015Publication date: June 29, 2017Inventors: Tyler R. GARRARD, Robert MERRION, John KRESSE
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Patent number: 9624987Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling the operating temperature of a torque converter during torque converter stall conditions. The torque converter has a pump rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and a rotatable turbine fluidly coupled to the pump. The system first determines whether the torque converter is currently in a torque converter stall condition, and, if so, determines a slip speed as a difference in rotational speeds between the pump and the turbine, determines an engine output torque limit as a function of the slip speed and a desired slip speed, and controls the operating temperature of the torque converter by limiting output torque produced by the engine based on the engine output torque limit.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
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Publication number: 20160010703Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling the operating temperature of a torque converter during torque converter stall conditions. The torque converter has a pump rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and a rotatable turbine fluidly coupled to the pump. The system first determines whether the torque converter is currently in a torque converter stall condition, and, if so, determines a slip speed as a difference in rotational speeds between the pump and the turbine, determines an engine output torque limit as a function of the slip speed and a desired slip speed, and controls the operating temperature of the torque converter by limiting output torque produced by the engine based on the engine output torque limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
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Patent number: 9056607Abstract: The present invention provides a method of selecting an economy mode shift schedule for a transmission coupled to a motor vehicle. The method includes calculating vehicle acceleration and determining a change in accelerator pedal position. Also, a net tractive effort force of the vehicle is determined for a current gear range of the transmission. Also, the method includes comparing the net tractive effort force for the current gear range to a maximum tractive effort force for a desired gear range and selecting the economy mode shift schedule for the transmission based on the comparison. The method further includes controlling shifting between one or more gear ranges of the transmission according to the economy mode shift schedule.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2014Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
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Patent number: 9056605Abstract: The present invention provides a method of selecting an economy mode shift schedule for a transmission coupled to a motor vehicle. The method includes calculating vehicle acceleration and determining a change in accelerator pedal position. Also, a net tractive effort force of the vehicle is determined for a current gear range of the transmission. Also, the method includes comparing the net tractive effort force for the current gear range to a maximum tractive effort force for a desired gear range and selecting the economy mode shift schedule for the transmission based on the comparison. The method further includes controlling shifting between one or more gear ranges of the transmission according to the economy mode shift schedule.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2013Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
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Patent number: 8775041Abstract: The present invention provides a method of selecting an economy mode shift schedule for a transmission coupled to a motor vehicle. The method includes calculating vehicle acceleration and determining a change in accelerator pedal position. Also, a net tractive effort force of the vehicle is determined for a current gear range of the transmission. Also, the method includes comparing the net tractive effort force for the current gear range to a maximum tractive effort force for a desired gear range and selecting the economy mode shift schedule for the transmission based on the comparison. The method further includes controlling shifting between one or more gear ranges of the transmission according to the economy mode shift schedule.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
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Publication number: 20140188355Abstract: The present invention provides a method of selecting an economy mode shift schedule for a transmission coupled to a motor vehicle. The method includes calculating vehicle acceleration and determining a change in accelerator pedal position. Also, a net tractive effort force of the vehicle is determined for a current gear range of the transmission. Also, the method includes comparing the net tractive effort force for the current gear range to a maximum tractive effort force for a desired gear range and selecting the economy mode shift schedule for the transmission based on the comparison. The method further includes controlling shifting between one or more gear ranges of the transmission according to the economy mode shift schedule.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2014Publication date: July 3, 2014Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
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Publication number: 20140100749Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling the operating temperature of a torque converter during torque converter stall conditions. The torque converter has a pump rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and a rotatable turbine fluidly coupled to the pump. The system first determines whether the torque converter is currently in a torque converter stall condition, and, if so, determines a slip speed as a difference in rotational speeds between the pump and the turbine, determines an engine output torque limit as a function of the slip speed and a desired slip speed, and controls the operating temperature of the torque converter by limiting output torque produced by the engine based on the engine output torque limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
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Publication number: 20140019022Abstract: The present invention provides a method of selecting an economy mode shift schedule for a transmission coupled to a motor vehicle. The method includes calculating vehicle acceleration and determining a change in accelerator pedal position. Also, a net tractive effort force of the vehicle is determined for a current gear range of the transmission. Also, the method includes comparing the net tractive effort force for the current gear range to a maximum tractive effort force for a desired gear range and selecting the economy mode shift schedule for the transmission based on the comparison. The method further includes controlling shifting between one or more gear ranges of the transmission according to the economy mode shift schedule.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: Allison Transmission Inc.Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
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Patent number: 8612114Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling the operating temperature of a torque converter during torque converter stall conditions. The torque converter has a pump rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and a rotatable turbine fluidly coupled to the pump. The system first determines whether the torque converter is currently in a torque converter stall condition, and, if so, determines a slip speed as a difference in rotational speeds between the pump and the turbine, determines an engine output torque limit as a function of the slip speed and a desired slip speed, and controls the operating temperature of the torque converter by limiting output torque produced by the engine based on the engine output torque limit.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2012Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
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Patent number: 8332108Abstract: A method is provided for selecting between economy mode and performance mode shift schedules for a transmission in a motor vehicle. A desired vehicle acceleration profile is specified, and a cumulative net tractive force of the vehicle is determined over the desired vehicle acceleration profile. A change in vehicle speed over the desired vehicle acceleration profile is also determined. A vehicle mass-based shift schedule breakpoint is computed as a function of the cumulative net tractive force of the vehicle and the change in vehicle speed over the desired vehicle acceleration profile. The vehicle mass-based shift schedule breakpoint is compared to a current vehicle mass indicator, and one of the economy mode and performance mode shift schedules is selected for operation of the transmission based on the comparison. Shifting between gear ranges of the transmission is controlled using the selected one of the economy mode and performance mode shift schedules.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2009Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
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Publication number: 20120151906Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling the operating temperature of a torque converter during torque converter stall conditions. The torque converter has a pump rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and a rotatable turbine fluidly coupled to the pump. The system first determines whether the torque converter is currently in a torque converter stall condition, and, if so, determines a slip speed as a difference in rotational speeds between the pump and the turbine, determines an engine output torque limit as a function of the slip speed and a desired slip speed, and controls the operating temperature of the torque converter by limiting output torque produced by the engine based on the engine output torque limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2012Publication date: June 21, 2012Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
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Publication number: 20120083980Abstract: The present invention provides a method of selecting an economy mode shift schedule for a transmission coupled to a motor vehicle. The method includes calculating vehicle acceleration and determining a change in accelerator pedal position. Also, a net tractive effort force of the vehicle is determined for a current gear range of the transmission. Also, the method includes comparing the net tractive effort force for the current gear range to a maximum tractive effort force for a desired gear range and selecting the economy mode shift schedule for the transmission based on the comparison. The method further includes controlling shifting between one or more gear ranges of the transmission according to the economy mode shift schedule.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
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Patent number: 8126630Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling the operating temperature of a torque converter during torque converter stall conditions. The torque converter has a pump rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and a rotatable turbine fluidly coupled to the pump. The system first determines whether the torque converter is currently in a torque converter stall condition, and, if so, determines a slip speed as a difference in rotational speeds between the pump and the turbine, determines an engine output torque limit as a function of the slip speed and a desired slip speed, and controls the operating temperature of the torque converter by limiting output torque produced by the engine based on the engine output torque limit.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2009Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
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Publication number: 20110054749Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling the operating temperature of a torque converter during torque converter stall conditions. The torque converter has a pump rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and a rotatable turbine fluidly coupled to the pump. The system first determines whether the torque converter is currently in a torque converter stall condition, and, if so, determines a slip speed as a difference in rotational speeds between the pump and the turbine, determines an engine output torque limit as a function of the slip speed and a desired slip speed, and controls the operating temperature of the torque converter by limiting output torque produced by the engine based on the engine output torque limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
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Publication number: 20100305822Abstract: A method is provided for selecting between economy mode and performance mode shift schedules for a transmission in a motor vehicle. A desired vehicle acceleration profile is specified, and a cumulative net tractive force of the vehicle is determined over the desired vehicle acceleration profile. A change in vehicle speed over the desired vehicle acceleration profile is also determined. A vehicle mass-based shift schedule breakpoint is computed as a function of the cumulative net tractive force of the vehicle and the change in vehicle speed over the desired vehicle acceleration profile. The vehicle mass-based shift schedule breakpoint is compared to a current vehicle mass indicator, and one of the economy mode and performance mode shift schedules is selected for operation of the transmission based on the comparison. Shifting between gear ranges of the transmission is controlled using the selected one of the economy mode and performance mode shift schedules.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2009Publication date: December 2, 2010Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion