TIMOTHY KRAUSE SHEFFER
Pilots at Riv Rd, Industry, NY

7350512, Apr 1, 2008

Apr 30, 2007

11/742114

Daniel R. Meacham - Mendon NY, US
Timothy K. Sheffer - Rush NY, US
Mitchell G. Ober - Northville MI, US
Kenneth M. Simpson - Swartz Creek MI, US
Carol Galskoy - Webster NY, US

Delphi Technologies, Inc. - Troy MI

F02M 33/02

123520, 123516, 123518, 123519, 731181, 73 497, 73 492

A system and method for evaluating the integrity of a leak detection test for a purge valve of a fuel system in a vehicle reduces or eliminates false failures. The method is executed on an engine control module (ECM) and is configured to determine when vehicle soak conditions meet first criteria conducive to fuel vapor condensation in the fuel tank. The first criteria include a predetermined temperature drop in ambient air temperature between successive drive cycles. The ECM is further configured to determine when a vehicle maneuver meets second criteria indicative of the capability of the maneuver to initiate fuel slosh in the fuel tank, to thereby establish a trigger event. The ECM is further configured to determine, after the trigger event, the maximum slope of a fuel tank vacuum increase. The ECM is still further configured to produce a slope ratio as a function of the maximum vacuum increase slope and a reference vacuum slope corresponding to a slope that is unaffected by any slosh/condensation events. The ECM is configured to invalidate a purge leak test when the slope ratio exceeds a threshold.

2009018, Jul 16, 2009

Jan 16, 2008

12/015030

Koon Chul Yang - Pittsford NY, US
Timothy K. Sheffer - Rush NY, US

F02D 35/00

701113

A first method is suitable for vehicles having an ambient temperature sensor and employs an estimation model configured to estimate a minimum start-up engine coolant temperature (SUECT) if the engine block heater was operated during the previous soak period. A measured SUECT is then compared to estimated minimum SUECT from the model, and if it is higher, then the diagnostic logic concludes that the engine block heater was operated during the soak period, and disables the reporting its test results. A second method is suitable for vehicles without an ambient (soak) temperature sensor employs an alternative approach. Predetermined data based on actual vehicle testing over a wide range of conditions is stored in a data structure. The data describe respective minimum and maximum start-up IAT thresholds versus SUECT. The thresholds are spaced apart to define a start-up IAT window in between. In other words, the window is bounded by minimum and maximum start-up IAT thresholds. For any measured SUECT, a particular window will be set. If the measured start-up IAT falls within the window, then the engine block heater was operated during the soak period.

2009025, Oct 15, 2009

Apr 11, 2008

12/101400

Kenneth M. Simpson - Swartz Creek MI, US
Hallett D. Breidenbach - West Bloomfield MI, US
Michael E. List - Grand Blanc MI, US
Timothy K. Sheffer - Rush NY, US
Bradley S. McClellan - Howell MI, US

G06F 11/00

714 11, 714E11001

An automotive system has a primary control module, such as an engine control module (ECM) configured for connection to a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), and a secondary control module, such as a transmission control module (TCM), each in communication with each other over a bus. Each control module includes a respective diagnostic data status record. Each record includes a pending fault field, a confirmed fault field and an MIL control status field. An improved method for synchronizing the diagnostic data contained in the respective status records includes an extended status signal set that is used to communicate over the bus. The set includes a diagnostic testing complete signal, a fault present signal and a MIL request signal indicative of a request to illuminate the MIL. Logic in the receiving control module (ECM) interprets the extended status signal set to properly synchronize its diagnostic data status record with the TCM's, including both pending and confirmed faults.