Patents by Inventor Samuel Were

Samuel Were 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: 11708798
    Abstract: An engine control module (ECM) may obtain information concerning a speed of an engine, information concerning an exhaust gas temperature, information concerning an engine airflow rate, information concerning a pressure of an intake manifold associated with the engine, and information concerning a requested amount of engine braking power. The ECM may cause one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to adjust based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the exhaust gas temperature, and the information concerning the engine airflow rate. Additionally, or alternatively, the ECM may cause the one or more components of the VGT to adjust based on the information concerning the pressure of the intake manifold associated with the engine and the information concerning the requested amount of engine braking power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Were, James Mutti, Rajesh Nair
  • Patent number: 11668255
    Abstract: An engine braking system includes engine braking actuators for adjusting exhaust valve timings to engine braking timings in a cylinder-number braking mode. The system further includes an engine braking controller coupled to a control switch that produces a request indicating a requested cylinder-number braking mode. The engine braking controller is structured to transition exhaust valves to the engine braking timings, determine a control term to adjust intake air pressure for varying a braking power of the engine, and to adjust geometry of an exhaust turbine based on the control term. An adjusted speed of a compressor rotated by the exhaust turbine provides a change to intake air pressure that adjusts the braking power of the engine. Different levels of braking power are provided within different cylinder-number braking modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Narayanan Nair, Samuel Were, James Harris Mutti, Behnaz Ensan, James Vernon Dornberger, II, Rodney L. Menold, Timothy David Schwartz, Kevin Walsh
  • Patent number: 11365697
    Abstract: A controller may determine that a regeneration process associated with an engine of a machine is active. The controller may obtain, based on determining that the regeneration process is active, information concerning a speed of the engine, information concerning a load of the engine, and information concerning a fuel rate of the engine. The controller may select, based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the load of the engine, and the information concerning the fuel rate of the engine, a control process, of a plurality of control processes, to control an intake manifold absolute pressure (IMAP) of the engine to facilitate the regeneration process. The controller may cause, according to the selected control process, adjustment of one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) of the engine and an intake throttle valve (ITV) of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh N. Nair, Samuel Were, James Harris Mutti
  • Publication number: 20220178315
    Abstract: An engine braking system includes engine braking actuators for adjusting exhaust valve timings to engine braking timings in a cylinder-number braking mode. The system further includes an engine braking controller coupled to a control switch that produces a request indicating a requested cylinder-number braking mode. The engine braking controller is structured to transition exhaust valves to the engine braking timings, determine a control term to adjust intake air pressure for varying a braking power of the engine, and to adjust geometry of an exhaust turbine based on the control term. An adjusted speed of a compressor rotated by the exhaust turbine provides a change to intake air pressure that adjusts the braking power of the engine. Different levels of braking power are provided within different cylinder-number braking modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Narayanan Nair, Samuel Were, James Harris Mutti, Behnaz Ensan, James Vernon Dornberger, II, Rodney L. Menold, Timothy David Schwartz, Kevin Walsh
  • Patent number: 11326504
    Abstract: A system including a cooling fan, an actuator with an actuator temperature sensor, and a controller is disclosed. The controller may be configured to receive temperature data from the actuator temperature sensor. The temperature data may include information relating to an actuator temperature of the actuator. The controller may be configured to compare the actuator temperature with a temperature threshold associated with the actuator, and control the cooling fan to adjust the actuator temperature based on determining that the actuator temperature satisfies the temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew T. Wolk, Samuel Were, James Mutti, Brian P. Brennan
  • Publication number: 20220120232
    Abstract: A controller may determine that a regeneration process associated with an engine of a machine is active. The controller may obtain, based on determining that the regeneration process is active, information concerning a speed of the engine, information concerning a load of the engine, and information concerning a fuel rate of the engine. The controller may select, based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the load of the engine, and the information concerning the fuel rate of the engine, a control process, of a plurality of control processes, to control an intake manifold absolute pressure (IMAP) of the engine to facilitate the regeneration process. The controller may cause, according to the selected control process, adjustment of one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) of the engine and an intake throttle valve (ITV) of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh N. NAIR, Samuel WERE, James Harris MUTTI
  • Publication number: 20210207548
    Abstract: An engine control module (ECM) may obtain information concerning a speed of an engine, information concerning an exhaust gas temperature, information concerning an engine airflow rate, information concerning a pressure of an intake manifold associated with the engine, and information concerning a requested amount of engine braking power. The ECM may cause one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to adjust based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the exhaust gas temperature, and the information concerning the engine airflow rate. Additionally, or alternatively, the ECM may cause the one or more components of the VGT to adjust based on the information concerning the pressure of the intake manifold associated with the engine and the information concerning the requested amount of engine braking power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel WERE, James MUTTI, Rajesh NAIR
  • Publication number: 20210189944
    Abstract: A system including a cooling fan, an actuator with an actuator temperature sensor, and a controller is disclosed. The controller may be configured to receive temperature data from the actuator temperature sensor. The temperature data may include information relating to an actuator temperature of the actuator. The controller may be configured to compare the actuator temperature with a temperature threshold associated with the actuator, and control the cooling fan to adjust the actuator temperature based on determining that the actuator temperature satisfies the temperature threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew T. WOLK, Samuel WERE, James MUTTI, Brian P. BRENNAN
  • Patent number: 10982605
    Abstract: An engine control module (ECM) may obtain information concerning a speed of an engine, information concerning an exhaust gas temperature, information concerning an engine airflow rate, information concerning a pressure of an intake manifold associated with the engine, and information concerning a requested amount of engine braking power. The ECM may cause one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to adjust based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the exhaust gas temperature, and the information concerning the engine airflow rate. Additionally, or alternatively, the ECM may cause the one or more components of the VGT to adjust based on the information concerning the pressure of the intake manifold associated with the engine and the information concerning the requested amount of engine braking power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Were, James Mutti, Rajesh Nair
  • Publication number: 20210071600
    Abstract: An engine control module (ECM) may obtain information concerning a speed of an engine, information concerning an exhaust gas temperature, information concerning an engine airflow rate, information concerning a pressure of an intake manifold associated with the engine, and information concerning a requested amount of engine braking power. The ECM may cause one or more components of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to adjust based on the information concerning the speed of the engine, the information concerning the exhaust gas temperature, and the information concerning the engine airflow rate. Additionally, or alternatively, the ECM may cause the one or more components of the VGT to adjust based on the information concerning the pressure of the intake manifold associated with the engine and the information concerning the requested amount of engine braking power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel WERE, James MUTTI, Rajesh NAIR
  • Patent number: 10669952
    Abstract: A cylinder cutout system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The system may include a plurality of cylinders having a first pattern of cylinders and a second pattern of cylinders. Additionally, a fuel governor operatively coupled to a plurality of fuel injectors may regulate an amount of fuel received by the plurality of cylinders. The system may further include a plurality of sensors configured to collect a set of engine data and a controller communicably coupled with the plurality of fuel injectors, the fuel governor and the plurality of sensors. The controller may be programmed to detect a start-up condition of the engine and to execute a cylinder test cycle on at least a portion of the plurality of cylinders based on a positive detection of the start-up condition. The controller may activate one of the first or second patterns of cylinders based on the cylinder test cycle results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: James Ulstad, Laura Huhn, Blake Landon Smith, Samuel Were, Anand KrishnamurthyGopalan, Aaron D. Sollars, Andrew Anderson, Delon R. Reyhart, Brooke A. Hart
  • Publication number: 20190390610
    Abstract: A cylinder cutout system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The system may include a plurality of cylinders having a first pattern of cylinders and a second pattern of cylinders. Additionally, a fuel governor operatively coupled to a plurality of fuel injectors may regulate an amount of fuel received by the plurality of cylinders. The system may further include a plurality of sensors configured to collect a set of engine data and a controller communicably coupled with the plurality of fuel injectors, the fuel governor and the plurality of sensors. The controller may be programmed to detect a start-up condition of the engine and to execute a cylinder test cycle on at least a portion of the plurality of cylinders based on a positive detection of the start-up condition. The controller may activate one of the first or second patterns of cylinders based on the cylinder test cycle results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: James Ulstad, Laura Huhn, Blake Landon Smith, Samuel Were, Anand KrishnamurthyGopalan, Aaron D. Sollars, Andrew Anderson, Delon R. Reyhart, Brooke A. Hart
  • Patent number: 10048660
    Abstract: A load management system for reducing engine lug during transient conditions is disclosed. The load management system may include a driven component, a power source configured to drive the driven component, and a controller in communication with the driven component and the power source. The controller may be configured to: monitor a current intake manifold pressure of the power source and a current load of the driven component, calculate a ratio based on the current intake manifold pressure and a steady state intake manifold pressure of the power source, and start a predetermined time period based on the ratio and the current load during which the power source builds up power to respond to the current load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Were, Tao Yu
  • Publication number: 20160102624
    Abstract: A load management system for reducing engine lug during transient conditions is disclosed. The load management system may include a driven component, a power source configured to drive the driven component, and a controller in communication with the driven component and the power source. The controller may be configured to: monitor a current intake manifold pressure of the power source and a current load of the driven component, calculate a ratio based on the current intake manifold pressure and a steady state intake manifold pressure of the power source, and start a predetermined time period based on the ratio and the current load during which the power source builds up power to respond to the current load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Were, Tao Yu