Patents by Inventor Thomas M Johnson

Thomas M Johnson 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).

  • Ambient temperature/inlet air temperature sensor dither
    Patent number: 6208917
    Abstract: A computerized method diagnoses a vehicle temperature sensor. The method includes the steps of verifying a fault status for the sensor, and initializing a mileage based diagnostic when the default status indicates that no sensor faults are present. The mileage based diagnostic is conducted on the sensor upon initialization. The mileage based diagnostic is conducted by calculating a change in temperature and comparing the change in temperature to a predetermined temperature change. A change in mileage is also calculated and compared to a predetermined mileage change. The mileage based diagnostic further includes comparing a number of warmups for the vehicle to a predetermined number of warmups. The sensor is failed when the change in mileage reaches the predetermined mileage change, the number of warmups reaches the predetermined number of warmups, and the change in temperature does not reach the predetermined temperature change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Garry W McKissick, Jr., Chris J Booms, Thomas M Johnson