Patents by Inventor Stephen P. LEVIJOKI
Stephen P. LEVIJOKI 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: 10436140Abstract: A method of controlling intake and exhaust cam phase in an internal combustion engine includes sensing an engine speed and an engine load of the internal combustion engine, sensing or estimating a wall temperature of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, utilizing the engine speed and the engine load in one or more lookup tables based on the cylinder wall temperature to determine intake phaser constraint values and exhaust phaser constraint values for cold operation of the internal combustion engine, and transitioning the intake phaser constraint values and the exhaust phaser constraint values for cold operation to intake phaser constraint values and exhaust phaser constraint values based on one or more lookup tables for normal hot operation of the internal combustion engine.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Stephen P. Levijoki, David N. Hayden, Christopher E. Whitney
-
Patent number: 10287994Abstract: A vehicle throttle control system includes a torque control system providing a desired torque for a throttle valve. A conversion module converts the desired torque to a desired throttle area and converts the desired throttle area to a target throttle position. A selection module determines which one of multiple MPC controllers should be used based on a current position of the throttle valve. A prediction module determines future state values using a mathematical model of a throttle body. A cost module determines a first cost for a first set of MPC target throttle duty cycle values. A control module identifies optimal sets of target throttle motor duty cycle values for each of the MPC controllers. The multiple MPC controllers control operation of a throttle valve duty cycle to achieve a target throttle opening area based on a first one of the target throttle motor duty cycle values.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Inventors: Stephen P. Levijoki, Bin Xu, Gionata Cimini
-
Patent number: 10273900Abstract: A method to determine reference actuator positions for a gasoline engine, includes entering a base torque request, a known spark advance, a known CAM position and a known exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve position into an inverse torque model to generate a first iteration desired air per cylinder (APC) value. The first iteration desired APC value is passed through a deadband filter to produce a filtered first iteration desired APC signal. A Predicted As Cal (PAC) spark advance is calculated for the filtered first iteration desired APC value. The PAC spark advance and the base torque request are modified, and data from a first lookup table is entered to generate a second iteration desired APC value.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Christopher E. Whitney, David N. Hayden, Gary Robert Cygan, Jr., Stephen P. Levijoki
-
Patent number: 10167746Abstract: A method of phasing the opening and closing of internal combustion engine intake and exhaust valves relative to the rotation of the crankshaft is based upon changes in engine speed, engine load and ambient relative humidity. During certain conditions of higher humidity, in order to maintain good combustion stability and thus overall engine operation, it is necessary to reduce intake and exhaust valve overlap by adjusting the phase of the intake and exhaust camshafts. This is achieved by utilizing a set of cam position reference values and constraints based upon engine speed, engine load and humidity that are contained in lookup tables that adjust and limit cam position and valve overlap. Generally speaking, in order to maintain optimum engine performance, intake and exhaust valve overlap is reduced with higher ambient humidity and vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Christopher E. Whitney, David N. Hayden, Nicola Pisu, Stephen P. Levijoki
-
Patent number: 10151251Abstract: A method for controlling engine torque in a vehicle during a default throttle condition includes determining whether a throttle of the engine is in a default throttle condition, determining whether the engine is producing more torque than desired if the throttle of the engine is in the default throttle condition, and applying an accessory load to the engine if the engine is producing more torque than desired in the default throttle condition.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Inventors: Stephen P Levijoki, Damon Grimwood, James L Worthing
-
Publication number: 20180328294Abstract: A vehicle throttle control system includes a torque control system providing a desired torque for a throttle valve. A conversion module converts the desired torque to a desired throttle area and converts the desired throttle area to a target throttle position. A selection module determines which one of multiple MPC controllers should be used based on a current position of the throttle valve. A prediction module determines future state values using a mathematical model of a throttle body. A cost module determines a first cost for a first set of MPC target throttle duty cycle values. A control module identifies optimal sets of target throttle motor duty cycle values for each of the MPC controllers. The multiple MPC controllers control operation of a throttle valve duty cycle to achieve a target throttle opening area based on a first one of the target throttle motor duty cycle values.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: Stephen P. Levijoki, Bin Xu, Gionata Cimini
-
Publication number: 20180274473Abstract: A method of controlling intake and exhaust cam phase in an internal combustion engine includes sensing an engine speed and an engine load of the internal combustion engine, sensing or estimating a wall temperature of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, utilizing the engine speed and the engine load in one or more lookup tables based on the cylinder wall temperature to determine intake phaser constraint values and exhaust phaser constraint values for cold operation of the internal combustion engine, and transitioning the intake phaser constraint values and the exhaust phaser constraint values for cold operation to intake phaser constraint values and exhaust phaser constraint values based on one or more lookup tables for normal hot operation of the internal combustion engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2017Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Stephen P. Levijoki, David N. Hayden, Christopher E. Whitney
-
Publication number: 20180230864Abstract: A method of phasing the opening and closing of internal combustion engine intake and exhaust valves relative to the rotation of the crankshaft is based upon changes in engine speed, engine load and ambient relative humidity. During certain conditions of higher humidity, in order to maintain good combustion stability and thus overall engine operation, it is necessary to reduce intake and exhaust valve overlap by adjusting the phase of the intake and exhaust camshafts. This is achieved by utilizing a set of cam position reference values and constraints based upon engine speed, engine load and humidity that are contained in lookup tables that adjust and limit cam position and valve overlap. Generally speaking, in order to maintain optimum engine performance, intake and exhaust valve overlap is reduced with higher ambient humidity and vice versa.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2017Publication date: August 16, 2018Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, David N. Hayden, Nicola Pisu, Stephen P. Levijoki
-
Publication number: 20180216563Abstract: A method to determine reference actuator positions for a gasoline engine, includes entering a base torque request, a known spark advance, a known CAM position and a known exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve position into an inverse torque model to generate a first iteration desired air per cylinder (APC) value. The first iteration desired APC value is passed through a deadband filter to produce a filtered first iteration desired APC signal. A Predicted As Cal (PAC) spark advance is calculated for the filtered first iteration desired APC value. The PAC spark advance and the base torque request are modified, and data from a first lookup table is entered to generate a second iteration desired APC value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, David N. Hayden, Gary Robert Cygan, JR., Stephen P. Levijoki
-
Patent number: 10001073Abstract: A catalyst control system includes a stop and start module that, during a period that the vehicle is ON between (i) a first time when the vehicle is turned ON and (i) a second time when the vehicle is next turned OFF, selectively shuts down and starts a spark ignition engine of the vehicle. A catalyst light off (CLO) control module initiates a first CLO event for a first engine startup during the period and, when a temperature of a catalyst that receives exhaust output by the engine is less than a predetermined temperature, selectively initiates a second CLO event for a second engine startup during the period. A fuel control module richens fueling of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period. A spark control module retards spark timing of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2016Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: J. Michael Gwidt, Robert E. Heger, Robert J. Genslak, Stephen P. Levijoki, Edward Stuteville
-
Patent number: 9932909Abstract: A method of controlling intake and exhaust cam phase in an internal combustion engine for optimal HVAC performance in a motor vehicle includes requesting a cabin heating value, sensing an engine speed and an engine load of the internal combustion engine, utilizing the cabin heating value, the engine speed and the engine load in one or more lookup tables to determine intake phaser constraint values and exhaust phaser constraint values for cabin heating, and transitioning the intake phaser constraint values and the exhaust phaser constraint values for cabin heating to intake phaser constraint values and exhaust phaser constraint values based on one or more lookup tables for normal operation without a cabin heating request.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2017Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Stephen P. Levijoki, David N. Hayden, Pulasti Bandara, Christopher E. Whitney
-
Publication number: 20170342924Abstract: A catalyst control system includes a stop and start module that, during a period that the vehicle is ON between (i) a first time when the vehicle is turned ON and (i) a second time when the vehicle is next turned OFF, selectively shuts down and starts a spark ignition engine of the vehicle. A catalyst light off (CLO) control module initiates a first CLO event for a first engine startup during the period and, when a temperature of a catalyst that receives exhaust output by the engine is less than a predetermined temperature, selectively initiates a second CLO event for a second engine startup during the period. A fuel control module richens fueling of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period. A spark control module retards spark timing of the engine during the first and second CLO events of the period.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2016Publication date: November 30, 2017Inventors: J. Michael GWIDT, Robert E. HEGER, Robert J. GENSLAK, Stephen P. LEVIJOKI, Edward STUTEVILLE