Patents by Inventor Stefano Sgatti

Stefano Sgatti 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: 10385814
    Abstract: A method refreshes an injection law of a fuel injector to be tested in an injection system. The method comprises steps of establishing a desired fuel quantity for the fuel injector to be tested, performing at least one first measurement opening of the fuel injector to be tested in a test actuation time, determining a pressure drop in a common rail during the first measurement opening of the fuel injector to be tested, determining a first fuel quantity that is fed during the first measurement opening, calculating a second fuel quantity as a difference between the desired fuel quantity and the first fuel quantity, and performing a second completion opening of the fuel injector to be tested for feeding the second fuel quantity needed to reach the desired fuel quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Sgatti, Marco Parotto, Gabriele Serra, Fabio Sensi
  • Patent number: 9920669
    Abstract: Method to control the sealing of a blow-by gas breather circuit of an internal combustion engine, comprising a separator device to agglomerate the particles of finely atomised lubricating oil and to remove the solid particulate particles and having an outlet connected by a pipe to an intake pipe through which the gas purified from the lubricating oil and the particulate flows out and a pressure sensor; the method providing the following steps: acquiring the signal coming from said pressure sensor; filtering the signal coming from the pressure sensor; integrating over time the square of the filtrated signal coming from the pressure sensor; and determining the sealing of the pipe according to the integrated signal which is the combustion energy generated by the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNETI MARELLI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luigi De Luca, Jacopo Bucchi, Stefano Sgatti, Massimo Zanotti
  • Publication number: 20160251987
    Abstract: Method to control the sealing of a blow-by gas breather circuit of an internal combustion engine, comprising a separator device to agglomerate the particles of finely atomised lubricating oil and to remove the solid particulate particles and having an outlet connected by a pipe to an intake pipe through which the gas purified from the lubricating oil and the particulate flows out and a pressure sensor; the method providing the following steps: acquiring the signal coming from said pressure sensor; filtering the signal coming from the pressure sensor; integrating over time the square of the filtrated signal coming from the pressure sensor; and determining the sealing of the pipe according to the integrated signal which is the combustion energy generated by the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Luigi DE LUCA, Jacopo BUCCHI, Stefano SGATTI, Massimo ZANOTTI
  • Patent number: 9212611
    Abstract: A method for controlling the movement of a component that moves towards a position defined by a limit stop in an internal combustion engine; the control method comprises the steps of detecting, by means of at least one acoustic microphone, the intensity of the microphonic signal generated by the impact of the component against the limit stop; and determining the impact instant and/or the impact speed of the component against the limit stop by analyzing the intensity of the microphonic signal generated by the impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: MAGNETI MARELLI S.PA.
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 9031815
    Abstract: A method detects a “misfire” condition in an internal-combustion engine including a control unit, a driving shaft and phonic wheel that is splined to the shaft and coupled to a sensor. The method comprises steps of: detecting intensity of a signal generated by passage of teeth of the wheel by the sensor, sampling the signal generated by the passage of the teeth, processing the sampled signal by applying a discrete Fourier transform, representing the sampled signal processed by a virtual phasor that represents in a vector form the signal that has been sampled and processed, determining a corresponding theoretical phasor for the virtual phasor that represents theoretical evolution of the signal that has been sampled and processed over time, comparing the theoretical phasor with the virtual phasor, and determining presence of a “misfire” condition by comparing the theoretical phasor with the virtual phasor that represents the signal that has been sampled and processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Canio Rocco Caterini, Francesco Alunni, Luigi De Luca, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 8800532
    Abstract: A method of controlling knocking in an internal combustion engine equipped with a device for controlling the opening of inlet valves; the control method includes the phases of: determining the occurrence of an excessive knocking in the cylinder of the internal combustion engine; and decreasing the mass of air sucked into the cylinder in which an excessive knocking has occurred by acting on the control device controlling the inlet valves of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Nicola Garagnani, Fabio Sensi, Filippo Cavanna, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 8768586
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle equipped with an internal-combustion engine with a “stop and start” system. The method provides, during vehicle running, for learning the “duty cycle” values associated with the odd gears and even gears, determining the “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears and “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears, determining a duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds on the basis of the “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears and “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears, and controlling the “stop and start” system on the basis of the duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Zanotti, Domenico Tavella, Ferdinando De Cristofaro, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20130327297
    Abstract: A method refreshes an injection law of a fuel injector to be tested in an injection system. The method comprises steps of establishing a desired fuel quantity for the fuel injector to be tested, performing at least one first measurement opening of the fuel injector to be tested in a test actuation time, determining a pressure drop in a common rail during the first measurement opening of the fuel injector to be tested, determining a first fuel quantity that is fed during the first measurement opening, calculating a second fuel quantity as a difference between the desired fuel quantity and the first fuel quantity, and performing a second completion opening of the fuel injector to be tested for feeding the second fuel quantity needed to reach the desired fuel quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Stefano Sgatti, Marco Parotto, Gabriele Serra, Fabio Sensi
  • Patent number: 8555702
    Abstract: A method recognizes at least one feature of fuel in an internal-combustion engine (1). The method comprises steps of: detecting, by at least one sensor, intensity (S) of vibrations generated by the internal-combustion engine (1) within a measurement-time window; determining a value of at least one synthetic index (I) by processing the intensity (S) of the vibrations generated by the internal-combustion engine (1) within the measurement-time window; comparing a synthetic index (I) with at least one predetermined comparison quantity (TH); and recognizing the feature of the fuel as a function of the comparison between the synthetic index (I) and comparison quantity (TH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Sgatti, Alberto Bucci, Nicolo′ Cavina, Marco Cesaroni, Filippo Cavanna, Ludovico Ausiello
  • Publication number: 20130261911
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle equipped with an internal-combustion engine with a “stop and start” system. The method provides, during vehicle running, for learning the “duty cycle” values associated with the odd gears and even gears, determining the “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears and “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears, determining a duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds on the basis of the “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears and “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears, and controlling the “stop and start” system on the basis of the duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicants: Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Zanotti, Domenico Tavella, Ferdinando de Cristofaro, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 8515647
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20130191074
    Abstract: A method detects a “misfire” condition in an internal-combustion engine including a driving shaft and phonic wheel that is splined to the shaft and coupled to a sensor. The method comprises steps of: detecting intensity of a signal generated by passage of teeth of the wheel by the sensor, sampling the signal generated by the passage of the teeth, processing the sampled signal by applying a discrete Fourier transform, representing the sampled signal processed by a virtual phasor that represents in a vector form the signal that has been sampled and processed, determining a corresponding theoretical phasor for the virtual phasor that represents theoretical evolution of the signal that has been sampled and processed over time, comparing the theoretical phasor with the virtual phasor, and determining presence of a “misfire” condition by comparing the theoretical phasor with the virtual phasor that represents the signal that has been sampled and processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Canio Rocco Caterini, Francesco Alunni, Luigi De Luca, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 8474308
    Abstract: A method of controlling an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder defining a variable-volume combustion chamber; and a rotating crankshaft powered by a piston sliding inside the cylinder; the control method including the steps of: determining a recording window expressed in engine angle degrees and having a start engine angle and a stop engine angle; acquiring and memorizing the intensity of sound pressure waves, generated by the internal combustion engine as a function of an engine angle, by means of at least one sound pressure sensor and within the recording window; and estimating the value of at least one operating parameter of a part of the internal combustion engine by analysing the intensity of the sound pressure waves in the recording window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Sgatti, Nicolò Cavina, Filippo Cavanna, Giancarlo Bisanti
  • Patent number: 8443601
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20130067990
    Abstract: A method recognizes at least one feature of fuel in an internal-combustion engine (1). The method comprises steps of: detecting, by at least one sensor, intensity (S) of vibrations generated by the internal-combustion engine (1) within a measurement-time window; determining a value of at least one synthetic index (I) by processing the intensity (S) of the vibrations generated by the internal-combustion engine (1) within the measurement-time window; comparing a synthetic index (I) with at least one predetermined comparison quantity (TH); and recognizing the feature of the fuel as a function of the comparison between the synthetic index (I) and comparison quantity (TH).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Stefano Sgatti, Alberto Bucci, Nicolo' Cavina, Marco Cesaroni, Filippo Cavanna, Ludovico Ausiello
  • Patent number: 8055436
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20110166766
    Abstract: A method for controlling the movement of a component that moves towards a position defined by a limit stop in an internal combustion engine; the control method comprises the steps of detecting, by means of at least one acoustic microphone, the intensity of the microphonic signal generated by the impact of the component against the limit stop; and determining the impact instant and/or the impact speed of the component against the limit stop by analyzing the intensity of the microphonic signal generated by the impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20110088388
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20110088390
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti
  • Publication number: 20110088389
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti