Patents by Inventor Stephen B. Smith

Stephen B. Smith 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).

  • Publication number: 20150096534
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for selecting a group of cylinders for selective deactivation, in a variable displacement engine system, based at least on a regeneration state of an exhaust catalyst. The position of one or more valves and throttles may be adjusted based on the selective deactivation to reduce back-flow through the disabled cylinders while also maintaining conditions of a downstream exhaust catalyst. Pre-ignition and knock detection windows and thresholds may also be adjusted based on the deactivation to improve the efficiency of knock and pre-ignition detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Michael James Uhrich, Stephen B. Smith, Adam Nathan Banker
  • Patent number: 9002624
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting cylinder valve timings to enable a group of cylinders to operate and combust while another group of cylinders on a second are selectively deactivated. Valve timing may be adjusted to allow flow of air through the inactive cylinders to be reduced, lowering catalyst regeneration requirements upon reactivation. The valve timing may alternatively be adjusted to enable exhaust gas to be recirculated to the active cylinders via the inactive cylinders, providing cooled EGR benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Stephen B. Smith, Adam Nathan Banker, Michael James Uhrich
  • Publication number: 20150075503
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a reference voltage for an intake manifold oxygen sensor based on ingestion of hydrocarbons from a fuel system canister and/or an engine crankcase. During conditions when purge or crankcase ventilation hydrocarbons are ingested in the intake aircharge, the intake oxygen sensor is transitioned from operating at a lower reference voltage to a higher reference voltage where the effects of the ingested hydrocarbons on the sensor output are nullified. An EGR dilution of the intake aircharge is estimated based on the output of the sensor at the higher reference voltage while an amount of hydrocarbons ingested is estimated based on a difference between sensor outputs at the higher and lower reference voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Daniel A. Makled, Richard E. Soltis, Stephen B. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150076134
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting heater power of an oxygen sensor. In one example, a method for an engine includes adjusting heater power of a heating element of the oxygen sensor when the heater power increases by a threshold amount. The method includes subsequently increasing heater power back to a baseline power level responsive to a temperature of the heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Michael McQuillen, Daniel A. Makled, Richard E. Soltis, Stephen B. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150072558
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector that can be mated so as to establish an electrical connection across the electrical connectors at a mating region. One of the electrical connectors includes a perforated common ground shield at the mating region that reduces crosstalk while substantially matching impedance at the mating region to a desired impedance of the electrical connector assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: 8955498
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting cylinder valve timings to enable a group of cylinders to operate and combust while another group of cylinders on a second are selectively deactivated. Valve timing may be adjusted to allow flow of air through the inactive cylinders to be reduced, lowering catalyst regeneration requirements upon reactivation. The valve timing may alternatively be adjusted to enable exhaust gas to be recirculated to the active cylinders via the inactive cylinders, providing cooled EGR benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Stephen B. Smith, Adam Nathan Banker, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 8919097
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for selecting a group of cylinders for selective deactivation, in a variable displacement engine system, based at least on a regeneration state of an exhaust catalyst. The position of one or more valves and throttles may be adjusted based on the selective deactivation to reduce back-flow through the disabled cylinders while also maintaining conditions of a downstream exhaust catalyst. Pre-ignition and knock detection windows and thresholds may also be adjusted based on the deactivation to improve the efficiency of knock and pre-ignition detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Michael James Uhrich, Stephen B. Smith, Adam Nathan Banker
  • Patent number: 8893665
    Abstract: An engine system for determining an alcohol concentration in fuel is disclosed. In one example, engine throttle position, fuel pulse width, and air-fuel ratio form a basis for determining alcohol concentration of a fuel combusted in an engine. The system and its related method may improve engine operation in conjunction with detecting an alcohol concentration of a fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Stephen B. Smith, Rohit Arvind Zope, Brandon M. Dawson
  • Patent number: 8888529
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector that can be mated so as to establish an electrical connection across the electrical connectors at a mating region. One of the electrical connectors includes a perforated common ground shield at the mating region that reduces crosstalk while substantially matching impedance at the mating region to a desired impedance of the electrical connector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stephen B. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140319071
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a polymer dissolution system comprising a mix tank, a strainer, and a pump. The mix tank is configured to receive polymers, water, and an inlet stream, to form a polymer solution including swollen polymers, and to discharge the polymer solution. The strainer is configured to receive the polymer solution, and to withdraw at least a portion of the swollen polymers therethrough substantially without shear degradation, thereby forming a resultant solution, wherein the swollen polymers are dissolved at least in part. The pump is configured to receive the resultant solution, and to return the resultant solution to the inlet stream. In some embodiments, the strainer and the pump cooperate together to maintain a viscosity of the resultant solution substantially within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: ECOLAB USA INC.
    Inventors: Mayur Patel, Jeffrey R. Cramm, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: 8838363
    Abstract: Embodiments for adjusting fuel injection are provided. In one example, a method comprises adjusting fuel injection based on fuel concentration in an engine intake manifold, and during idle and when EGR is disabled, adjusting fuel injection based on the fuel concentration and a fuel pushback amount. In this way, fuel injection may be adjusted based on fuel concentration in the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Richard E. Soltis, James Michael Kerns, Stephen B. Smith, Imad Hassan Makki
  • Patent number: D712841
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: D712844
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: D713346
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: D713356
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minch, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: D713799
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith, Lewis Robin Johnson, Mark Edwin Lauermann
  • Patent number: D714227
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith, Lewis Robin Johnson, Mark Edwin Lauermann
  • Patent number: D724032
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: D727268
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: D727852
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Buck, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Douglas M. Johnescu, Stephen B. Smith