Michael C Degner Deceased4164 Crooks St, West Bloomfield, MI 48323

6335609, Jan 1, 2002

May 9, 2000

09/567246

David L. Amey - Birmingham MI
Michael W. Degner - Farmington Hills MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

H02P 540

318811, 318805, 318804

A method for reducing the starting time and reducing the peak phase currents for an internal combustion engine that is started using an induction machine starter/alternator. The starting time is reduced by pre-fluxing the induction machine and the peak phase currents are reduced by reducing the flux current command after a predetermined period of time has elapsed and concurrent to the application of the torque current command. The method of the present invention also provides a strategy for anticipating the start command for an internal combustion engine and determines a start strategy based on the start command and the operating state of the internal combustion engine.

6392905, May 21, 2002

Jan 6, 2001

09/756017

Henry Heping Huang - Canton MI
John Michael Miller - Saline MI
Michael W. Degner - Farmington Hills MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

H02M 700

363 71, 363 37, 318705

A pulse width modulation circuit ( ) has a first set of windings with a first inverter circuit coupled thereto and a second set of windings having a second inverter circuit coupled thereto. A pulse width modulation controller pulse width modulates the first inverter circuit and the second inverter circuit so that the first inverter circuit has a predetermined phase shift therebetween to reduce input ripple.

6420793, Jul 16, 2002

Sep 21, 2000

09/666582

Allan Roy Gale - Livonia MI
Michael W Degner - Farmington Hills MI
Michael Alan Tamor - Toledo OH

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

F02N 1104

290 34, 310113, 12317928, 320123, 180 652

A method of energizing a combined starter/alternator to start an engine in a vehicle including a primary energy storage device and a secondary energy storage device. The method includes the steps of monitoring a charge value on the secondary energy storage device, and activating a converter switching circuit to charge the secondary energy storage device with the primary energy storage device until the charge value is greater than a maximum charge value. Thereafter, an inverter switching circuit is activated to energize the starter/alternator with the power available in the primary and secondary energy storage devices. The starter/alternator is activated as a starter motor until the engine starts or the charge on the secondary energy storage device falls below a mininum charge value.

6424113, Jul 23, 2002

Jan 6, 2001

09/756410

John William Kelly - Dearborn MI
Michael W. Degner - Farmington Hills MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

G05B 1128

318599, 388804, 388811, 388819, 388831

A pulse width modulation circuit ( ) for a motor controller is operated by generating an offset voltage and adding the offset voltage to a carrier timing signal to form an offset carrier timing signal. The operation of each of the phases of the motor is controlled as a function of the offset carrier signal.

6429616, Aug 6, 2002

Mar 29, 2001

09/820487

Garold Paul Myers - Northville MI
Michael W. Degner - Farmington Hills MI
Michael Harke - Madison WI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

H02P 706

318459

An electric machine drive system uses an estimation of the DC bus voltage to improve machine drive control. The DC bus voltage is estimated by injecting a carrier signal into the machine drive and determining the magnitude of the positive sequence current component induced in the drive by the carrier signal. The measured magnitude of current may be referenced to the anticipated magnitude of the current in order to produce an inverse value of the estimated DC bus voltage that is then used to normalize the commanded voltage signal driving the machine. Alternatively, a look-up table is used to relate the measured magnitude of the current component to a corresponding estimated value of the bus voltage.

6445079, Sep 3, 2002

Jan 20, 2001

09/766127

Allan Roy Gale - Livonia MI
Feng Liang - Canton MI
Michael W Degner - Farmington Hills MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

H02P 908

290 31, 290 32, 322 12

An electrical machine ( ) suitable for use as a starter/alternator for an automotive vehicle, has an inverter circuit ( ), a rectifier circuit ( ), and a stator circuit ( ) that couples the inverter circuit ( ) to the rectifier circuit ( ). In addition, a switch circuit ( ) having a first switch, switch A, and a second switch, switch B, is used to couple inverter circuit ( ) to rectifier circuit ( ). By controlling the operation of switch circuit ( ) so that in a start up mode the switches are closed and in a generating mode the switches are open, a high output torque may be obtained from the electrical machine while a wide operating speed range may be also achieved.

6483293, Nov 19, 2002

Jun 29, 2000

09/606863

Chingchi Chen - Ann Arbor MI
Michael W. Degner - Farmington Hills MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

G01B 730

32420712, 32420725

A sensor system for sensing a rotation of a sensing wheel is disclosed. The sensor system has a sensing coil in juxtaposition with the sensing wheel. Moreover, the sensing coil has a sensing coil output signal indicative of the rotational speed of the sensing wheel. Further, a cancellation coil is located remotely from the sensing coil and connected in series therewith. Additionally, the cancellation coil has a cancellation coil output signal indicative of an environmental disturbance which is effecting the sensing coil output signal. The cancellation coil output signal operates to cancel the effects of the environmental disturbance on the sensing coil output signal.

6566840, May 20, 2003

Feb 11, 2002

10/073477

Bo Wu - Northville MI
Michael W. Degner - Novi MI

Ford Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

H02P 124

318727, 318254, 318439, 318138

A method and system for estimating slip gain for use in the control of torque in a multi-phase induction machine. The slip gain estimate is based on a transient response of the induction machine to torque command changes. The invention is independent of machine parameters other than the slip gain. The method uses a slip gain estimation algorithm that is suited for use either as a self-calibration procedure or a background procedure that continually updates the slip gain during normal operation of the induction machine. The estimation method of the invention is suited for automotive driveline applications, which typically have limited sensor capability and which may present tuning problems associated with high volume production and with slip gain estimates when temperature changes during normal operation.