The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 25, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2004
John W. Hoard, Livonia, MI (US);
Gopichandra Surnilla, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
David K. Bidner, Livonia, MI (US);
John W. Hoard, Livonia, MI (US);
Gopichandra Surnilla, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
David K. Bidner, Livonia, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
The invention is a method for diagnosing operation of a nonthermal plasma discharge device and a lean NOx trap disposed in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. The method further includes reducing power to the nonthermal plasma discharge device and determining that the nonthermal plasma discharge device is operating properly when a concentration of NOx of exhaust gases exiting the lean NOx trap increases in response to reducing power to the nonthermal plasma discharge device. Additionally, the nonthermal plasma discharge device is found not to be operating when the NOx concentration remains substantially constant in response to a decrease in power supplied to the nonthermal plasma discharge device.