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).

  • Patent number: 10267246
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler R. Garrard, Robert Merrion, John Kresse
  • Publication number: 20180030916
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Ali Nabi, Qi Luo, Robert Merrion, John Kresse, Hosein Mahjoubi
  • Publication number: 20170184038
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Tyler R. GARRARD, Robert MERRION, John KRESSE
  • Patent number: 9624987
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
  • Publication number: 20160010703
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
  • Patent number: 9056607
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
  • Patent number: 9056605
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
  • Patent number: 8775041
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
  • Publication number: 20140188355
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
  • Publication number: 20140100749
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
  • Publication number: 20140019022
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Allison Transmission Inc.
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
  • Patent number: 8612114
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
  • Patent number: 8332108
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
  • Publication number: 20120151906
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
  • Publication number: 20120083980
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion
  • Patent number: 8126630
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
  • Publication number: 20110054749
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Merrion, Brett Caldwell, John Kresse
  • Publication number: 20100305822
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: John Kresse, Robert Merrion