Bradley John Hieb

61190632, Sep 12, 2000

May 10, 1999

9/307449

Bradley John Hieb - Dearborn MI
Jerry Dean Robichaux - Riverview MI
Tobias John Pallett - Ypsilanti MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

F02D 4116

701110

A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine using a controller to implement at least two control modes having corresponding first and second mode controllers with disparate control parameters include comparing output of the first and second mode controllers to generate an error, generating a correction value based on the error, and providing the correction value to one of the mode controllers to provide a smooth transition of control between the mode controllers. In one embodiment, the first controller is a torque controller which determines a desired air flow to achieve a desired torque and the second mode controller is an idle speed controller which determines a desired air flow to maintain a desired engine speed. The invention is advantageous in that it provides for smooth transitions between control modes, such as between idle mode and a normal driving mode, by harmonizing the outputs of the controllers. Drivability is improved by eliminating an aggressive and/or sluggish response to accelerator pedal position when transitioning between idle speed control and normal driving modes.

59709430, Oct 26, 1999

Mar 7, 1995

8/400066

Jerry D. Robichaux - Lincoln Park MI
Bradley J. Hieb - Dearborn MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

F02B 7700

123198F

A system and method for selecting the operating mode of a variable displacement engine includes a controller with a stored engine map, an engine speed sensor, and an inferred desired fractional manifold vacuum which would be required for the engine to operate on a fractional number of cylinders, given the driver's current torque requirements, a specific emissions calibration, and environmental conditions, deriving this inferred desired fractional manifold vacuum from stored information and assorted engine sensor input. The system compares its inferred desired fractional manifold vacuum and current engine speed to one or more stored maps of inferred desired fractional manifold vacuum versus engine speed in order to decide which operating mode should be selected.

56669186, Sep 16, 1997

Dec 11, 1995

8/570032

Tobias J. Pallett - Ypsilanti MI
Bradley J. Hieb - Dearborn MI
Jerry D. Robichaux - Lincoln Park MI

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

F02D 4114
F02D 4118

123350

An Electronic Engine Controller (EEC) controls the operation of an electronically controlled throttle. The EEC generates a predicted desired throttle angle value as a function of upstream and downstream air pressure values, an air temperature value and a desired airflow value. A predicted actual throttle angle value is generated as a function of the upstream and downstream air pressure values, an air temperature value and an actual airflow value. A throttle angle difference value is generated as a function of the difference between the predicted desired throttle angle value and the predicted actual throttle angle value. A PID controller is employed to generate a throttle angle change value. The throttle angle change value is then added to the predicted desired throttle angle change value to generate a throttle angle control value, indicative of a position for said throttle. The throttle angle is then altered to a position corresponding to the throttle angle control value.

55031293, Apr 2, 1996

May 18, 1995

8/444341

Jerry D. Robichaux - Lincoln Park MI
Bradley J. Hieb - Dearborn MI

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

F02D 1702
F02M 2507

123481

An apparatus for determining a number of cylinders to operate in a variable displacement engine includes a signal representative of air charge temperature, a signal representative of barometric pressure, a desired mass air flow evaluator, a maximum mass air flow evaluator, a desired exhaust gas recirculation flow evaluator, a maximum exhaust gas recirculation flow evaluator, and a controller. The controller compares the desired mass air flow to the maximum mass air flow, generating a mass air flow error signal if desired mass air flow error exceeds maximum mass air flow error. The controller also compares the desired exhaust gas recirculation flow to the maximum exhaust gas recirculation flow, generating an exhaust gas recirculation flow error signal if desired exhaust gas recirculation flow exceeds maximum exhaust gas recirculation flow. The two flow error signals are combined and compared to an acceptable error threshold, and a number of cylinders upon which to operate the variable displacement engine is recommended responsive thereto.

57222363, Mar 3, 1998

Dec 13, 1996

8/768004

Michael John Cullen - Northville MI
Bradley John Hieb - Dearborn MI
Christopher K. Davey - Novi MI

Ford Global Technologies, inc. - Dearborn MI

F01N 320

60274

A method and apparatus for inferring and controlling the temperature of a NO. sub. x trap located downstream from a three-way catalyst that employs a temperature sensor to correct a temperature estimation model under relatively steady-state conditions to provide a more accurate estimate of NO. sub. x trap temperature and three-way catalyst temperature. In a second embodiment, the three-way catalyst also includes a temperature sensor for improving the instantaneous catalyst temperature estimation.

56593899, Aug 19, 1997

Dec 12, 1996

8/764427

Bradley John Hieb - Dearborn MI
Rafael Espinosa Paredes - Detroit MI
Jerry Dean Robichaux - Lincoln Park MI

G01B 100
G01D 534

356150

A system for calibrating production throttle bodies in which a throttle body (18) is mounted in a fixture (16) and light is transmitted by a light source (12) through the throttle body main bore (20) onto a translucent screen (22). A camera (14) senses the light regions (34) and transmits the information to a controller (26), which calculates the angular position of the throttle valve (32).

55687954, Oct 29, 1996

May 18, 1995

8/444165

Jerry D. Robichaux - Lincoln Park MI
Bradley J. Hieb - Dearborn MI

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

F02B 7700

123198F

A system for selecting the operating mode of a variable displacement engine includes a vacuum analyzer, a flow analyzer, and a controller for determining whether the variable displacement engine should be operated on a fractional number of cylinders. The vacuum analyzer generates a vacuum recommendation signal indicating whether a fractionally operating variable displacement engine can accommodate the inferred desired fractional manifold vacuum with respect to a desired torque and a specific emissions calibration. The flow analyzer generates a flow recommendation signal indicating whether a fractionally operating variable displacement engine can accommodate a desired mass air flow and a desired exhaust gas recirculation flow with respect to a desired torque, a specific emissions calibration, and environmental conditions. The controller evaluates the vacuum and flow recommendation signals no determine the operating mode of the engine.