Patents by Inventor Stephen L. Shen

Stephen L. Shen 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: 9171536
    Abstract: Noise control for a vehicle is implemented by identifying sources of noise that are indicative of vehicle noise producing components. The sources of noise include a thermal management device of a hybrid-electric component of the vehicle and non-hybrid-electric components of the vehicle. The noise control is further implemented by determining a decibel value of the noise produced by each of the vehicle noise producing components, selecting the decibel value of one of the vehicle noise producing components having a highest decibel value as a mask limit, and determining an operational limit for the thermal management device. The operational limit includes a lowest threshold operating value which, when implemented, maintains a threshold level operating efficiency of the hybrid-electric component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher D.S. Ballnik, Keith D. Buford, Stephen L. Shen
  • Patent number: 9141117
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for thermally controlling a plurality of devices of a system using an element. The element is controlled in accordance with a first control strategy via a processor if a temperature of a first device of the plurality of devices is within a first range, a temperature of a second device of the plurality of devices is within a second range, and an inlet temperature of the system is within a third range. The element is controlled via the processor in accordance with a second control strategy via the processor if the temperature of the first device is not within the first range, the temperature of the second device is not within the second range, or the inlet temperature is not within the third range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Stephen L. Shen, Keith D. Buford
  • Patent number: 8932743
    Abstract: A method of operating a RESS thermal system in a vehicle having a coolant loop for directing a coolant through a RESS and a refrigerant loop configured to selectively cool the coolant flowing through a chiller in the coolant loop, including: determining a current target temperature range for the RESS based on a current vehicle operating mode and ambient temperature; determining a temperature of the RESS; determining if the temperature of the RESS needs to increase or decrease to be within the current target temperature range; if the determination is made that the temperature of the RESS needs to increase, determining if an active heating or a passive heating of the coolant will be employed, the active heating using a greater amount of energy over a shorter time period than the passive heating; and activating the determined active heating or passive heating of the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Simonini, Stephen L. Shen, Matthew J. Martinchick, Lawrence P. Ziehr, Keith D. Buford, Paul S. Lombardo, Jonathan K. Williams, Jason J. Nolte
  • Publication number: 20140198919
    Abstract: Noise control for a vehicle is implemented by identifying sources of noise that are indicative of vehicle noise producing components. The sources of noise include a thermal management device of a hybrid-electric component of the vehicle and non-hybrid-electric components of the vehicle. The noise control is further implemented by determining a decibel value of the noise produced by each of the vehicle noise producing components, selecting the decibel value of one of the vehicle noise producing components having a highest decibel value as a mask limit, and determining an operational limit for the thermal management device. The operational limit includes a lowest threshold operating value which, when implemented, maintains a threshold level operating efficiency of the hybrid-electric component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Christopher D.S. Ballnik, Keith D. Buford, Stephen L. Shen
  • Publication number: 20120283898
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for thermally controlling a plurality of devices of a system using an element. The element is controlled in accordance with a first control strategy via a processor if a temperature of a first device of the plurality of devices is within a first range, a temperature of a second device of the plurality of devices is within a second range, and an inlet temperature of the system is within a third range. The element is controlled via the processor in accordance with a second control strategy via the processor if the temperature of the first device is not within the first range, the temperature of the second device is not within the second range, or the inlet temperature is not within the third range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Stephen L. SHEN, Keith D. BUFORD
  • Publication number: 20120082871
    Abstract: A method of operating a RESS thermal system in a vehicle having a coolant loop for directing a coolant through a RESS and a refrigerant loop configured to selectively cool the coolant flowing through a chiller in the coolant loop, including: determining a current target temperature range for the RESS based on a current vehicle operating mode and ambient temperature; determining a temperature of the RESS; determining if the temperature of the RESS needs to increase or decrease to be within the current target temperature range; if the determination is made that the temperature of the RESS needs to increase, determining if an active heating or a passive heating of the coolant will be employed, the active heating using a greater amount of energy over a shorter time period than the passive heating; and activating the determined active heating or passive heating of the coolant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Simonini, Stephen L. Shen, Matthew J. Martinchick, Lawrence P. Ziehr, Keith D. Buford, Paul S. Lombardo, Jonathan K. Williams, Jason J. Nolte