Patents by Inventor Vickie M. Rushing

Vickie M. Rushing 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).

  • Method and system for controlling transmission temperature
    Patent number: 7806803
    Abstract: A method for controlling a transmission in a motor vehicle includes determining a temperature of a fluid in the transmission, determining whether the torque converter lockup clutch is applied, and determining an engine torque of the motor vehicle. Then, the torque converter lockup clutch is applied and the transmission is prohibited from up-shifting if the temperature of the fluid exceeds a threshold, the torque converter lockup clutch is not applied, and the engine torque exceeds a second threshold. Next, a tractive effort of the motor vehicle is determined and the torque converter lockup clutch is deactivated when the temperature of the fluid is less than a third threshold, the tractive effort is less than a fourth threshold, or the engine torque is less than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E Shultz, Mark A. Rushing, Vickie M. Rushing, legal representative, John P. Kresse
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE
    Publication number: 20080312034
    Abstract: A method for controlling a transmission in a motor vehicle includes determining a temperature of a fluid in the transmission, determining whether the torque converter lockup clutch is applied, and determining an engine torque of the motor vehicle. Then, the torque converter lockup clutch is applied and the transmission is prohibited from up-shifting if the temperature of the fluid exceeds a threshold, the torque converter lockup clutch is not applied, and the engine torque exceeds a second threshold. Next, a tractive effort of the motor vehicle is determined and the torque converter lockup clutch is deactivated when the temperature of the fluid is less than a third threshold, the tractive effort is less than a fourth threshold, or the engine torque is less than the second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Shultz, Mark A. Rushing, Vickie M. Rushing, John P. Kresse