Patents by Inventor Sean R King

Sean R King 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: 12139141
    Abstract: A vehicle launch control technique includes providing a driver interface configured to display information to and input from a driver of the vehicle and a controller in communication with the driver interface, determining a maximum available torque curve for the powertrain based on current conditions, displaying, at the driver interface, the maximum available torque curve, receiving, from the driver via the driver interface, a desired launch speed for the powertrain, receiving, from the driver via the driver interface, a desired torque curve for the powertrain, wherein the desired torque curve changes in response to changes to the desired launch speed, generating, in response to a command via the driver interface, a final desired torque curve for the powertrain, and performing launch control of the vehicle by controlling the powertrain of the vehicle according to the final desired torque curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Michael J Prucka, Christopher E Pueppke, Jeremy J Anker, James M Wilder, Yi Cheng, Sean R King
  • Publication number: 20240253633
    Abstract: A vehicle launch control technique includes obtaining a desired launch torque curve and a desired launch speed, performing a pre-staging procedure including generating a torque reserve for a powertrain, in response to paddle shifters being a first configuration and accelerator and brake pedals being fully depressed and then controlling vehicle positioning/movement in response to driver manipulation of the brake pedal, performing a staging procedure including (a) increasing the torque reserve, (b) activating a trans brake feature to hold the vehicle stationary, and (c) increasing a speed of the powertrain to the desired launch speed, in response to (i) the paddle shifters in a different second configuration and (ii) fully releasing the brake pedal, and after the staging procedure and in response to the paddle shifters being in a different third configuration, executing a vehicle launch procedure by depleting the torque reserve according to the desired launch torque curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Michael J Prucka, Christopher E Pueppke, Jeremy J Anker, James M Wilder, Yi Cheng, Sean R King
  • Publication number: 20240253634
    Abstract: A vehicle launch control technique includes providing a driver interface configured to display information to and input from a driver of the vehicle and a controller in communication with the driver interface, determining a maximum available torque curve for the powertrain based on current conditions, displaying, at the driver interface, the maximum available torque curve, receiving, from the driver via the driver interface, a desired launch speed for the powertrain, receiving, from the driver via the driver interface, a desired torque curve for the powertrain, wherein the desired torque curve changes in response to changes to the desired launch speed, generating, in response to a command via the driver interface, a final desired torque curve for the powertrain, and performing launch control of the vehicle by controlling the powertrain of the vehicle according to the final desired torque curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Michael J Prucka, Christopher E Pueppke, Jeremy J Anker, James M Wilder, Yi Cheng, Sean R King
  • Patent number: 11448147
    Abstract: A control system for a powertrain of a vehicle includes a set of sensors configured to monitor a set of operating parameters of the vehicle indicative of at least (i) whether a driver of the vehicle is in control of the vehicle, (ii) an intended direction of motion of the vehicle, and (iii) actual motion of the vehicle and a controller configured to, based on the set of operating parameters determine whether the driver of the vehicle is in control of the vehicle and when the driver is determined not to be in control of the vehicle determine whether the actual motion of the vehicle is in the intended direction of motion of the vehicle and when the actual motion of the vehicle is not in the intended direction of motion of the vehicle, control a torque output of the engine to hold the vehicle stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Alexander M O'Neill, Sagar G Naidu, Sean R King, Adam M Szechy