By Input Manifold Pressure Or Engine Fuel Control Patents (Class 477/121)
  • Patent number: 11897476
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing closed-in-bore diagnostics for a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, select operating conditions may be evaluated before closed-in-bore diagnostics may be initiated. In addition, charging of one or more batteries may be reduced to ensure that an engine throttle may operate with a small opening amount to evaluate the presence or absence of sludge in the engine throttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Justin Panhans, Minku Lee, Fazal U. Syed, Alec Bolthouse, Francis Thomas Connolly, Josh Holland
  • Patent number: 11878802
    Abstract: A lavatory monument assembly that includes an enclosure having front and rear walls and that defines an enclosure interior. A divider wall that extends between the front and rear walls, and a divider door that is movable between closed and opened positions. In the closed position the divider door divides the enclosure interior into first and second lavatory interiors. The divider wall includes first and second sections and the divider door includes first and second portions that meet at an obtuse angle. The divider door is pivotably attached to the divider wall. The front wall includes first and second lavatory doors that are both movable between closed and opened positions and provide access to the first and second lavatory interiors. A first toilet is positioned adjacent the rear wall in the first lavatory interior and a second toilet is positioned adjacent the rear wall in the second lavatory interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Safran Cabin Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Geoffrey Scoley, Sandesh Shetty, Scott Savian
  • Patent number: 11719293
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling and diagnosing one or more clutches in a transmission. In one example, a method for operation of a vehicle system is provided that includes at a diagnostic controller or processing unit independent from a driveline controller or processing unit, respectively, determining an engagement state of a clutch in a transmission of the vehicle system, wherein the engagement state is selected from a group of three or more clutch engagement states. The method further includes identifying an unauthorized clutch state based on the engagement state of the clutch and a speed of the vehicle and responsive to the identification of the unauthorized clutch state, operating the vehicle system in a fault state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Deckmyn, Christophe De Buyser, Kris Vanstechelman
  • Patent number: 11644097
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a torque converter, a transmission, and a control device. The torque converter is coupled to the engine. The transmission is coupled to the torque converter. The control device is configured to control operation of the transmission. The control device includes a controller configured to perform shift hold control to prevent upshift of the transmission based on a lateral acceleration value of the vehicle. The controller is configured to permit the upshift of the transmission by only one gear shift stage in a case where a predetermined condition is met in the shift hold control. The predetermined condition includes a condition that an index value indicating a rotation speed of an output shaft of the torque converter be higher than a first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuntaro Miura, Kenji Inoue, Akihiro Kawakami, Takahiro Okada
  • Patent number: 11619190
    Abstract: A method and system for operating a vehicle that includes an integrated starter/generator and a driveline disconnect clutch is described. In one example, the method estimates engine torque as a function of engine temperature during cold engine starts so that if an estimate of engine torque is in error, the integrated starter/generator may still successfully start the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fazal Urrahman Syed, Timothy Baxendale, Thomas Ciccone, Sassan Farahmand, Kelly Johnson
  • Patent number: 11495063
    Abstract: An automated-driving device causes a test body which is either a vehicle or part of a vehicle to perform automated-driving using a plurality of types of actuators. This automated-driving device includes a plurality of connectors to which the actuators are connected, and a control device that controls movements of the actuators that are connected to the connectors. When one of the actuators is connected to one of the connectors, the control device identifies the type of actuator that is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HORIBA, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuma Hachiken, Yoshiaki Matsubara, Kazuki Furukawa, Susumu Togawa, Kazunori Kuriaki, Yasutaka Kawakita, Kosuke Ol
  • Patent number: 11480233
    Abstract: A speed-change mechanism includes an output shaft on which a transmission module and a speed step-up module are mounted. The transmission module includes a driving roller that drives the output shaft in a single direction. The speed step-up module includes a connecting gear and a speed step-up gear that are rotatably and fixedly mounted to the output shaft, respectively, and a planet speed-change wheel assembly arranged therebetween. The speed step-up module includes an arrestor assembly. At a low speed, the planet speed-change wheel assembly is idling as being set in an orbiting motion and input power is suppled through the driving roller driving the output shaft in the single direction; and at a high speed, the arrestor assembly stops the orbiting motion of the planet speed-change wheel assembly to allow the speed-change gear of the planet speed-change wheel assembly to switch to a spinning motion to step up the speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventor: Li-Ho Yao
  • Patent number: 11378031
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a characteristic storage portion configured to store therein torque-characteristic information representing an output torque characteristic as a characteristic of an output torque of an engine of the vehicle, which has appeared in a certain control operation, such that the stored torque-characteristic information is divided into a plurality of groups corresponding to respective refueling points that provide the fuel; and a factor determination portion configured, when the output torque characteristic represented by the torque-characteristic information belonging to one of the plurality of groups and the output torque characteristic represented by the torque-characteristic information belonging to another one of the plurality of groups are different from each other and a characteristic difference therebetween is not smaller than a threshold value, to determine that the characteristic difference is caused by a difference in a property of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitahata, Atsushi Tabata, Kenji Miyasaka, Kodo Nakawatari, Koichi Okuda
  • Patent number: 10920708
    Abstract: A fuel-saving control device equipped with: a surplus drive force calculation unit for calculating surplus drive force; a fuel-saving control unit for executing a fuel-saving control which lowers and corrects the indicated fuel injection amount according to the accelerator position when the surplus drive force reaches or exceeds a threshold, and stopping the fuel-saving control when the surplus drive force falls below the threshold; a vehicle position detection unit for detecting the vehicle position; a map information storage unit for storing map information; a downshift operation detection unit for detecting a downshifting operation; and a forward gradient identification unit for identifying the forward gradient on the basis of the vehicle position and the map information. Therein, the fuel-saving control unit stops the fuel-saving control when a downshifting operation is detected and the forward gradient is an uphill grade equal to or greater than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Wasantha Oshita, Tomohiko Takeda, Katsunori Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10913459
    Abstract: A shift switching mechanism of a utility vehicle includes: an input gear connected to an input shaft to which a driving force of an engine is input; a shifter that is connected to a counter shaft transmitting a driving force of the input shaft, and enables engagement between the input gear and a gear connected to the counter shaft; and a control unit that controls the shift switching mechanism. At reception of a shift command, the control unit calculates a rotation difference between the input gear and the shifter, and controls output of the engine to reduce the rotation difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Itoo, Ayumi Hamada, Manabu Hidaka, Masahiko Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10801601
    Abstract: A method for operating an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle. A shifting status of the automatic gearbox is set by a control device. Further, an acoustic signal in an interior of the motor vehicle is detected by a detection unit coupled to the control device. Finally, a shifting status of the automatic gearbox is switched from a first shifting status to a second shifting status by the control device when the acoustic signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Lothar Schmidl
  • Patent number: 10774930
    Abstract: A method and system for selecting a speed ratio for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) of a vehicle during braking. The method and system includes determining a Current Actual Speed Ratio of the CVT when the distance of a brake pedal travel exceeds a predetermined distance, determining, by a transmission control module (TCM), an amount of Available Speed Ratio Change (?r), a Current Ratio Change Capability (Current-{dot over (r)}), and a Predictive Ratio Change Capability (Predictive-{dot over (r)}). The method further includes the TCM calculating a Time to Reach the Minimum Under-drive Ratio (tUD), calculating a Predicted Velocity of the Vehicle (vPr) using (tUD), determining a Desired Speed Ratio of the CVT using the Predicted Velocity of the Vehicle (vPr), and actuating the CVT to the Desired Speed Ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Xuefeng T. Tao, Steven P. Moorman, Ronald W. Van Diepen, Jeffrey M. DeSimone, Madhura N. Paranjape
  • Patent number: 10479359
    Abstract: A restart control device is applied to a vehicle which is provided with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a driving wheel, and a clutch. The restart control device has a restart-condition determining portion which determines whether a restart condition for restarting the internal combustion engine is established while the vehicle is coasting; a push-start portion which starts the internal combustion engine by a push-start; a start-up portion which starts the internal combustion engine by use of an electric motor; and a doubly start-up portion which tries to start the internal combustion engine by one of the push-start portion and the start-up portion when the restart-condition determining portion determines that the restart condition is established. The doubly start-up portion tries to start the internal combustion engine by another one of the push-up portion and the start-up portion when the internal combustion engine has not been started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohisa Ose, Tadatoshi Asada, Shigeru Maeda, Takashi Senda
  • Patent number: 10427685
    Abstract: A vehicle capable of regenerative braking includes a motor that is configured to be driven with electric power. The vehicle selectively sets a drive mode of the vehicle in an accelerator-off state between an ordinary mode and a deceleration enhanced mode that decelerates the vehicle with higher deceleration force than deceleration force in the ordinary mode. The vehicle performs regenerative control of the motor in the ordinary mode or performs deceleration control of generating the deceleration force in the deceleration enhanced mode, in order to decelerate the vehicle in the set drive mode. When an accelerator stroke based on a driver's depression of an accelerator becomes higher than a cancellation threshold in the drive mode set to the deceleration enhanced mode, the cancellation threshold being determined in advance corresponding to the accelerator stroke being greater than zero, the vehicle changes the drive mode from the deceleration enhanced mode to the ordinary mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Umayahara, Mitsuhiro Nada, Takuya Nakagami
  • Patent number: 10400894
    Abstract: A sensor device is provided for detecting a shifting position of a vehicle transmission. The vehicle transmission includes a transmission chamber, in which transmission elements are arranged. The sensor device includes a bar element, which extends from the transmission chamber into a secondary chamber sealed off from the transmission chamber and is arranged such that the bar element can be moved in dependence on the shifting position. The bar element has an interface arranged in the transmission chamber for coupling the bar element to a transmission element positioned in dependence on the shifting position and an accommodating segment arranged in the secondary chamber. The sensor device also has a transducer element, which is attached to the accommodating segment of the bar element. The sensor device also has a detecting device for detecting a position of the transducer element depending on the shifting position or a motion of the transducer element depending on a change in the shifting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Huber, Simon Winter, Martin Rotter
  • Patent number: 10302190
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a transmission device using various characteristic values, wherein said characteristic values can be determined by means of variable or constant parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: AVL LIST GMBH
    Inventors: Falko Pflueger, Patrick Schatz, Martin Wohlfahrt, Erik Bogner, Thomas Frank Mueller-Werth
  • Patent number: 10207715
    Abstract: An automatic transmission control device implements a downshift by disengagement of a clutch that is engaged in a gear position before the downshift. It is determined whether an engine state is in a predetermined region in which a change of an engine torque per a change of an accelerator pedal opening is smaller than that in another region, and the engine torque is within a predetermined range, and an engine rotational speed is within a predetermined range. It is determined whether an operating state is in a predetermined state of accelerator operation in which the accelerator pedal opening is larger than a predetermined value, and an accelerator pedal opening change rate has an absolute value smaller than a predetermined value. The downshift is inhibited in response to determination that the engine state is in the predetermined region and the operating state is in the predetermined state of accelerator operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: JATCO Ltd, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Koguchi, Sho Okutani, Makoto Komatsu, Toshiaki Noda, Takuichiro Inoue, Yuuji Nagase, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Hideshi Wakayama
  • Patent number: 10081368
    Abstract: A user's portable electronic device can learn configuration preferences from a first environment, such as the user's car, and when the user visits another similar environment, such as a rented automobile, those configuration preferences can be imported into the visited environment and used to automatically configure the environment according to the imported preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Ethan Lowry
  • Patent number: 10001074
    Abstract: According to first quantity of state control, a rich spike is executed while actuating a WGV so as to decrease turbocharging pressure, and after completion of the rich spike, the WGV is actuated to raise the turbocharging pressure again, the combustion air-fuel ratio is adjusted to the theoretical air-fuel ratio while suppressing an air amount by a throttle so as not to vary shaft torque until the turbocharging pressure is restored, and upon the turbocharging pressure being restored the air amount is increased by the throttle and the combustion air-fuel ratio is returned to a lean air-fuel ratio. According to second quantity of state control, a rich spike is executed while actuating the WGV so as to maintain the turbocharging pressure, and after completion of the rich spike, the air amount is increased by the throttle and the combustion air-fuel ratio is returned to a lean air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Matsumoto, Noriyasu Adachi
  • Patent number: 9618919
    Abstract: A method of generating linear models for a physical system of interest is implemented in steps including, first, determining offline, a set of linear models for the physical system of interest by linearization of a nonlinear computational model of the physical system of interest at selected operating points or from desired data; second, analyzing offline, accuracy of each linear model and eliminating inaccurate linear models therefrom to provide a residual set of linear models; third, generating offline, linear models corresponding to grid points of one or more lookup tables based on the residual set of linear models; fourth, associating offline, lookup table grid points with selected scheduling variables, and fifth, generating algorithmic software for the physical system therefrom such that linear models for the physical system generated offline form the basis for online scheduling of linear models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel Edgardo Viassolo, Avinash Vinayak Taware, Brent Jerome Brunell
  • Patent number: 9517764
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing driveline mode change busyness for a hybrid vehicle are presented. The systems and methods may delay a driveline mode change in response to a time since a change from a first desired vehicle speed to a second vehicle speed, or alternatively, driveline mode changes may be initiated in response to an estimated time to change from the first desired vehicle speed to the second desired vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander O'Connor Gibson, James William Loch McCallum, Felix Nedorezov, Xiaoyong Wang, Matthew John Shelton
  • Patent number: 9458929
    Abstract: A method for operating an automatic transmission is provided. The method includes synchronizing a positive shifting element of the automatic transmission, braking the automatic transmission with a first non-positive shifting element of the automatic transmission, establishing a position of the positive shifting element, and increasing a pressure of fluid supplied to a second non-positive shifting element of the automatic transmission if the position of the positive shifting element is an intermediate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Markus Maurer, Martina Jehle, Ruben Cueppers, Max Trautwein
  • Patent number: 9309966
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle washing mode for a vehicle equipped with shift-by-wire shifting device, may include performing an N-range-off determining step that determines whether a shift lever is in an N-range when an engine stops, performing an ACC determining step that determines whether the vehicle is in an ACC state, and performing a shifting step that shifts a P-range state of a transmission to a N-range state thereof by operating an actuator, when the N-range-off determining step determines that the shift lever is in the N-range when the engine was stopped, and when the ACC determining step determines that the vehicle is in the ACC state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hangil Park
  • Patent number: 9175618
    Abstract: An engine of a vehicle is provided with an engine control device including an idle speed control (ISC) device provided for an intake bypass passage connecting an upper side and a lower side of a throttle valve installed in an intake passage so as to control an idle speed of the engine by adjusting an amount of air flowing through the intake bypass passage at a time of idling of the engine. The engine control device includes a throttle opening degree sensor disposed in the intake passage and configured to detect a degree of opening of the throttle valve, an intake pressure sensor disposed in the intake passage and configured to detect an intake negative pressure at the lower side of the throttle valve, and a control unit configured to control an output of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Uchiyama, Tomoo Nagumo, Kenichi Tsutsumi, Hiroaki Otake
  • Patent number: 9174639
    Abstract: A shift control method and system of a hybrid vehicle that prevent engine clutch slip occurring when a transfer torque of engine clutch is greater than an allowable transfer torque under unfavorable driving conditions by controlling a shifting time, may include, (a) detecting an engine torque. (b) determining an input torque of an engine clutch based on the engine torque. (c) comparing the determined input torque and a predetermined allowable transfer torque of the engine clutch. (d) increasing a present shifting time by a predetermined value when the determined input torque is greater than the allowable transfer torque and applying the increased shifting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Sang Mo Ryu, Myunggyu Kim, Yeonho Kim
  • Patent number: 8821345
    Abstract: A vehicle controller includes an F/C control section, a battery voltage detection section, an AT control section, an alternator, and an ECU. The ECU determines the difference between a target deceleration for varying deceleration smoothly and a deceleration attained at each gear stage as a target deceleration which is generated by the alternator. The ECU compensates for the difference between target deceleration and the deceleration by the target deceleration to smooth variations in the deceleration of the whole vehicle, thereby improving drivability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shin Noumura
  • Patent number: 8708072
    Abstract: An articulated vehicle is provided having a cab portion, a trailer portion, and a coupling assembly positioned between the cab portion and the trailer portion. A front wheel assembly may support the cab portion, and a rear wheel assembly may support the trailer portion. The vehicle may include a modulated retarder system configured to slow the vehicle when descending a slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Deere and Company
    Inventors: Joseph M. Denis Montocchio, David F. Rindfleisch, John M. Chesterman
  • Patent number: 8696516
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicular drive system having (i) an engine, (ii) an electrically controlled differential portion operative to control an operating state of an electric motor connected to a rotary element of a differential mechanism for power-transmissive state for thereby controlling a differential state between a rotation speed of an input shaft connected to the engine, and a rotation speed of an output shaft, and (iii) a shifting portion forming a part of a power-transmitting mechanism between the electrically controlled differential portion and drive wheels, the control device including high-speed rotation preventing means for preventing high-speed rotations of each rotary elements of both the differential mechanism and the shifting portion, when a drop occurs or drop occurrence is predicted, in a supplied hydraulic pressure applied to a hydraulically operated frictional engaging device of the shifting portion, to a level less than a given value, wherein the high-speed rotation preventing means red
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shibata, Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata, Masakazu Kaifuku, Hidenori Kato
  • Patent number: 8639418
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a power system. The method includes receiving an operator request for a propulsion direction change. The method also includes directing power into a power source and reducing a supply of fuel to the power source while directing power into the power source. The method further includes basing a first threshold speed on a speed of the power source produced by directing power into the power source and increasing the supply of fuel to the power source when the speed of the power source falls below the first threshold speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Paul Bertsch, Bruce Henry Hein, Jeremy Joe Wilson, Timothy Allen Goldammer
  • Patent number: 8465395
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes a stepwise variable transmission mechanism; a power ON/OFF state judging section; and a shift control section configured to control the stepwise variable transmission mechanism to a target rotational speed by disengaging the first engagement portion and engaging the second engagement portion in accordance with a torque inputted to the stepwise variable transmission mechanism, the shift control section being configured to engage one of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion which has a function to suppress a variation of an input rotational speed of the stepwise variable transmission mechanism which is generated by a switching of the power ON/OFF state when the power ON/OFF state is switched at the shift control of the stepwise variable transmission mechanism, and to disengage the other of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Seiichiro Takahashi, Tatsuo Ochiai, Masaaki Uchida, Masato Koga, Ryoji Kadono, Tateki Jozaki, Hideaki Suzuki, Ryousuke Nonomura, Mamiko Inoue
  • Patent number: 8403790
    Abstract: A motor transmission apparatus is provided between a transmission output shaft coupled to a drive wheel and a motor shaft coupled to a motor/generator. The motor transmission apparatus includes a first power transmission path that is switched to a power transmission condition by a high clutch having a clutch oil chamber, and a second power transmission path that is switched to a power transmission condition by a low brake having a brake oil chamber. Working oil discharged from an oil pump is guided to an oil passage switching valve via an output control valve. The working oil is distributed to one of the clutch oil chamber and the brake oil chamber by the oil passage switching valve, and therefore interlocking, in which the high clutch and the low brake are engaged simultaneously, can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takenori Hashimoto, Atsushi Namba
  • Patent number: 8366586
    Abstract: A method for obtaining fuel-loaded exhaust gases by late and/or delayed injection(s) of fuel into a Diesel engine combustion chamber of a motor vehicle including an automatic gearbox robotized or with constant torque variation. The laws defining the reduction ratio of the gearbox are modified to limit dilution of the fuel in the oil present in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Adrien Pillot, Celine Etcheverry, Fabien Godon, Stephane Sadai
  • Patent number: 8260527
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a CPU, a throttle sensor, a shift actuator, and fuel injectors. When the CPU detects a control failure of the throttle valve with a value detected by the throttle sensor, the CPU adjusts the output of the engine by controlling the fuel injectors such that the motorcycle runs with a previously set negative target acceleration. Also, the CPU controls the shift actuator such that the transmission is shifted down in steps as the speed of the motorcycle decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Arai
  • Patent number: 8260528
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a CPU, a throttle sensor, a brake sensor, and fuel injectors. When the CPU detects a control failure of the throttle valve with a value detected by the throttle sensor, the CPU adjusts the output of the engine by controlling the fuel injectors such that the motorcycle runs with a previously set negative target acceleration. Also, when the CPU detects a brake operation by the driver with the brake sensor after the occurrence of the control failure, the CPU corrects the target acceleration such that the deceleration of the motorcycle becomes larger. Then, the CPU adjusts the output of the engine such that the motorcycle runs with the corrected target acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Arai
  • Patent number: 8246517
    Abstract: A controller stops a fuel injection when a vehicle is in a specified decelerate condition where the vehicle likely stops and an automatic stop requirement is generated. An input shaft and an output shaft of a shift transmission mechanism are directly connected with each other through a direct connector so that a driving power is transmitted from an engine to a driving shaft through a power transmitter which permits a sliding between an input shaft and an output shaft thereof. When a restart requirement is generated before the vehicle is completely stopped, the engine is restarted under a condition where the input shaft and the output shaft of the shift transmission mechanism are connected with each other by a direct connector. When the restart requirement is not generated before the vehicle is completely stopped, the input shaft and the output shaft are disconnected when the vehicle is completely stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Senda, Akira Katoh, Kenji Kawahara
  • Patent number: 8235864
    Abstract: A method for operating a semi-automatic or automatic manual transmission of a heavy truck when driving at idle speed. The method includes supplying fuel to the engine of the heavy truck at a rate that facilitates engine-idle operation. In another step, the method engages the automatic or semi-automatic transmission in a gear higher than the starting gear of the transmission and permits the truck to operate at a first substantially uniform driving velocity under engine-idle power. Depending upon traffic and environmental requirements which require a slower or higher speed, the driver downshifts or upshifts the semi-automatic or automatic transmission by depressing a control pedal of the truck and then drives the truck at a second substantially uniform driving velocity under engine-idle power. For a downshift, the second substantially uniform driving velocity is less than the first substantially uniform driving velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Anders Eriksson, Sixten Berglund
  • Publication number: 20120094802
    Abstract: A vehicle controller includes an F/C control section, a battery voltage detection section, an AT control section, an alternator, and an ECU. The ECU determines the difference between a target deceleration for varying deceleration smoothly and a deceleration attained at each gear stage as a target deceleration which is generated by the alternator. The ECU compensates for the difference between target deceleration and the deceleration by the target deceleration to smooth variations in the deceleration of the whole vehicle, thereby improving drivability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shin Noumura
  • Publication number: 20110263382
    Abstract: A method is described for the operation of a transmission device (1) with a plurality of frictional shift elements (A, D, E, F) and at least one interlocking shift element (B, C) for obtaining various gear ratios. When a command is received for a gearshift during which the interlocking shift element (C) has to be changed from an open to a closed operating condition, the interlocking shift element (C) is at least approximately synchronized by increasing the transmission capacity of at least one frictional shift element (A) which does not have to be engaged in the force flow either to obtain the gear ratio that is to be disengaged or to obtain the gear ratio that is to be engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Jorg Arnold, Klaus Steinhauser, Valentine Herbeth, Christian Popp, Thilo Schmidt, Peter Ziemer, Gabor Diosi, Christoph Margraf
  • Publication number: 20110195817
    Abstract: A control system includes an engine speed control module, a fuel control module, and an air control module. The engine speed control module controls an actual speed of an engine based a desired power to be generated by combustion in the engine, wherein the desired power is a product of a desired speed of the engine and a desired torque output of the engine. When operating in a fuel lead mode, the fuel control module controls fuel flow in the engine by adjusting a desired fuel mass for each activated cylinder of the engine based on the desired power. The air control module controls air flow in the engine based on an actual air/fuel ratio of the engine resulting from the desired fuel mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Krishnendu Kar, Massimiliano Maira, Luca Scavone, Michael Livshiz
  • Patent number: 7935025
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for pressurizing a hydraulic circuit comprising a hydraulically actuated transmission component and an accumulator. One example method comprises, during an engine idle-stop, adjusting actuation of the hydraulically actuated transmission component over a duration. The method further comprises, during the duration, isolating the accumulator from the hydraulically actuated transmission component when a pressure in the hydraulic circuit is above a threshold, and coupling the accumulator into the hydraulic circuit when the pressure is below the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Seung-Hoon Lee, Alex O'Connor Gibson, Gregory Michael Pietron, Yuji Fujii, Marvin Paul Kraska
  • Publication number: 20110071741
    Abstract: A transmission includes a plurality of clutches that are selectively engageable alone or in combination with each other to establish a plurality of forward drive modes, wherein one of the clutches is configured as a neutral idle (NI) clutch that is selectively actuated to shift the transmission into an NI state, and a controller. The controller is adapted to shift the transmission from a forward drive mode into the NI state during a coast-down maneuver prior to the transmission reaching a zero output speed. A method of shifting the transmission into the NI state includes determining the presence of a predetermined one of the forward drive modes using the controller, and using the controller to actuate a designated one of the clutches as an NI clutch to enter the NI state during the forward drive mode, during a coast-down maneuver, and prior to the transmission reaching a zero output speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald F. Lochocki, JR., Sindu Sebastian, David W. Wright
  • Publication number: 20110015037
    Abstract: A coasting control system for a vehicle includes a coasting monitoring module and a glide mode activation module. The coasting monitoring module determines whether the vehicle is in a coasting state. The glide mode activation module operates a transmission in a freewheeling state based on a determination that the vehicle is in the coasting state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: John J. Koenig
  • Publication number: 20100274455
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine and transmission in a vehicle is described. The method comprises up-shifting the transmission based on whether engine knock limits spark advance at engine conditions after the up-shift. Further, the method may include accounting for differences in fuel types, and their effects on engine knock in future gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Allen Doering, Michael John Cullen
  • Publication number: 20100234177
    Abstract: A method for operating a semi-automatic or automatic mechanical transmission of a heavy truck when driving at idle speed is provided. The method includes supplying fuel to the engine of the heavy truck at a rate that facilitates engine-idle operation. In another step, the method engages the automatic or semi-automatic transmission in a gear higher than the starting gear of the transmission and permits the truck to operate at a first substantially uniform driving velocity under engine-idle power. Depending upon traffic and environmental requirements which require a higher speed, the driver upshifts the semi-automatic or automatic transmission by depressing a control device for manual gear selection arranged on a gear shift lever of the truck and then drives the truck at a second substantially uniform driving velocity under engine-idle power. The second substantially uniform driving velocity is greater than the first substantially uniform driving velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Erik Lauri, Fredrik Karpenman
  • Publication number: 20100222177
    Abstract: A method for generating manual shift requests for controlling the automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle comprises: generating an up_shift request (24) when the movement of the accelerator pedal of the vehicle matches a predefined pattern for requesting an up_shift (22), and generating a down_shift request (28) when the movement of the accelerator pedal of the vehicle matches a predefined pattern for requesting a down_shift (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Ruimin Zhao
    Inventor: Ruimin Zhao
  • Patent number: 7780571
    Abstract: An automatic transmission control apparatus includes an engine rotational speed limit verifying section and a shift control characteristic changing section. The engine rotational speed limit verifying section is configured to receive an engine rotational speed limit value for limiting an engine rotational speed and determine if the engine rotational speed limit value is lower than a prescribed normal upper limit value. The shift control characteristic changing section is configured to change a shift schedule of an automatic transmission based on the engine rotational speed being limited by the engine rotational speed limit value and the automatic transmission having a stronger tendency to select a higher gear stage than if the engine rotational speed limit value was not being limited to a lower value than the prescribed normal limit value, when the engine rotational speed limit value is determined to lower than the prescribed normal upper limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Kan Yagi, Jun Yoshino, Hitoshi Yokose, Tsuyoshi Mori, Katsunori Satou, Masaya Kubota, Hiroyuki Takenaka, Makoto Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7765047
    Abstract: A shift control method of an automatic transmission includes the steps of: determining whether a road has a gradient; calculating road gradient in real time; filtering the gradient; controlling shifting according to the greater of calculated and filtered gradients if the calculated gradient is negative; and controlling shifting according to the calculated gradient if the calculated gradient is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Pyung Hwan Yu
  • Publication number: 20100081544
    Abstract: This invention automatically shifts the automobile from DRIVE to NEUTRAL when the gas accelerator pedal is fully released. This procedure not only maximizes energy input from gravity on downgrades, but also helps conserve the kinetic energy of moving vehicle in at least three ways. Firstly, rotating and reciprocating friction of the engine is minimized by bringing the engine to idle when power input from the engine is not needed. Secondly, energy losses from pumping lubricating oil and coolant at much higher pressures throughout the engine during high-speed operation are reduced. Thirdly, and most significantly, the compression braking effect of an internal combustion engine at low throttle settings—whereby kinetic energy from the moving vehicle is converted to heat during each energy-consuming compressing stroke—is eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventor: Gordon R. Warner
  • Publication number: 20100022350
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided with an engine and an automatic transmission and a process for controlling an automatic transmission. In order to reduce the reaction time after a slight tip in of less than 50% during a closed throttle downshift, it is proposed to send a positive torque request to the engine at the beginning of the tip in on the accelerator. This is based on the idea to use a transmission positive torque request to force the engine to override its tip in torque management functions and provide a faster torque increase. This positive torque request at the beginning of the tip in improves considerably the engine response time. The vehicle reaction time when tipping in during a closed throttle downshift has been reduced by about 250 ms or 30%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Baptiste CHAUDRON, David WRIGHT, Sebastien SANDER, Nicolas GUYOT
  • Patent number: 7627407
    Abstract: An ECU determines the presence/absence of a fault of a negative pressure generation device that has an ejector that generates a negative pressure that is greater than the negative pressure that is to be extracted from an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, and a VSV that causes the ejector to function or stop functioning. The ECU includes a presence/absence-of-abnormality determination portion that determines the presence/absence of an abnormality of the negative pressure generation device on the basis of variation of the rotation speed Ne of the internal combustion engine in accordance with change in the state of operation of the VSV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigemasa Hirooka