Abstract: An oxygen sensor is in a system including compensator circuitry connected to the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor includes a pump cell and the compensator circuitry includes a feedback control loop which includes a digital compensator which determines and outputs a compensation current to the pump cell or adjusts a pump cell voltage. A method of controlling the oxygen sensor includes, subsequent to a period of time when the feedback control loop is disrupted, pumping a balancing current into or out the pump cell for a balancing time interval, the balancing current and/or the balancing time interval is dependent on a current pumped into or out of the pump cell prior to the feedback control loop being disrupted.

Abstract: A method of operating an oxygen sensor system is provided where the system includes an oxygen sensor, the oxygen sensor including a pump cell, and wherein the oxygen sensor is connected to associated circuitry such that the associated circuitry controls operation of the pump cell. The pump cell includes a pump line connected to a pump electrode of the pump cell and a return line connected to a return electrode of the pump cell. The method includes, subsequent to a diagnostic process, raising the potential of the pump line for a predetermined period of time by injecting current onto the pump line.

Abstract: A method of operating an oxygen sensor system is provided where the system includes an oxygen sensor, the oxygen sensor including a pump cell, and wherein the oxygen sensor is connected to associated circuitry such that the associated circuitry controls operation of the pump cell. The pump cell includes a pump line connected to a pump electrode of the pump cell and a return line connected to a return electrode of the pump cell. The method includes, subsequent to a diagnostic process, raising the potential of the pump line for a predetermined period of time by injecting current onto the pump line.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor is in a system including compensator circuitry connected to the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor includes a pump cell and the compensator circuitry includes a feedback control loop which includes a digital compensator which determines and outputs a compensation current to the pump cell or adjusts a pump cell voltage. A method of controlling the oxygen sensor includes, subsequent to a period of time when the feedback control loop is disrupted, pumping a balancing current into or out the pump cell for a balancing time interval, the balancing current and/or the balancing time interval is dependent on a current pumped into or out of the pump cell prior to the feedback control loop being disrupted.

Abstract: Compensator circuitry is provided for an oxygen sensor which includes a pump cell and a reference cell. The compensator circuitry includes a feedback control loop which maintains the reference cell at a reference voltage. The feedback control loop includes a digital compensator which determines and outputs a compensation current to the pump cell dependent on a reference voltage measured from the reference cell. The digital compensator also suspends the determination and output of the compensation current for a set time which is dependent on detection of edges in an oxygen sensor heater Pulse Width Modulation signal.

Abstract: A controller, a system, and a method to detect a short to ground condition of a return line of an external sensor that outputs a sensor signal relative to the return line. A ground switch that electrically connects the return line to a ground potential when the ground switch is in the closed state is momentarily opened, and one or more sensor signals are checked to determine if the sensor signals change as expected when the ground switch is opened. If a value change of a sensor signal is less than a threshold value when the ground switch is switched from the closed state to the open state, then a short to ground condition of the return line is indicated.

Abstract: A particulate (soot) sensor system has a diagnostic feature for verifying the integrity of the wiring leads. The sensor system includes a sensor and processing circuitry. The sensor has a substrate, first and second sensing electrodes on the substrate and a heater electrode. The heater electrode is electrically isolated from the first and second sensing electrodes, although there is a parasitic capacitance between them. The processing circuitry includes a heater driver, a measurement circuit connected to the sensing electrodes by wire leads, and a detector. The heater driver, in addition to energizing the heater, produces a stimulus signal that is applied to the heating electrode, which is then coupled via the parasitic capacitance to the sensing electrodes. The detector is coupled to the wiring leads and is configured to detect the stimulus signal when there is electrical conductivity over the leads to the sensing electrodes.

Abstract: A particulate (soot) sensor system has a diagnostic feature for verifying the integrity of the wiring leads. The sensor system includes a sensor and processing circuitry. The sensor has a substrate, first and second sensing electrodes on the substrate and a heater electrode. The heater electrode is electrically isolated from the first and second sensing electrodes, although there is a parasitic capacitance between them. The processing circuitry includes a heater driver, a measurement circuit connected to the sensing electrodes by wire leads, and a detector. The heater driver, in addition to energizing the heater, produces a stimulus signal that is applied to the heating electrode, which is then coupled via the parasitic capacitance to the sensing electrodes. The detector is coupled to the wiring leads and is configured to detect the stimulus signal when there is electrical conductivity over the leads to the sensing electrodes.

Abstract: Pressure-based combustion parameters of an IC engine are determined based on engine cylinder pressure measurements and crank angle dependent cylinder volume data, where the pressure in a given engine cylinder is periodically sampled at scheduled crank angles to provide a measurement resolution that varies over the combustion cycle for that cylinder, and the cylinder volume data is retrieved from a table of pre-calculated data. The combustion parameter calculations are customized to suit the variable resolution pressure data, and the crank angles used to retrieve the pre-calculated cylinder volume data are offset from the scheduled crank angles to compensate for misalignment of the pressure measurements relative to the scheduled engine crank angles.

Abstract: Pressure-based combustion parameters of an IC engine are determined based on engine cylinder pressure measurements and crank angle dependent cylinder volume data, where the pressure in a given engine cylinder is periodically sampled at scheduled crank angles to provide a measurement resolution that varies over the combustion cycle for that cylinder, and the cylinder volume data is retrieved from a table of pre-calculated data. The combustion parameter calculations are customized to suit the variable resolution pressure data, and the crank angles used to retrieve the pre-calculated cylinder volume data are offset from the scheduled crank angles to compensate for misalignment of the pressure measurements relative to the scheduled engine crank angles.

Abstract: A method for controlling exhaust gases produced by an internal combustion engine, a medium encoded with a machine-readable computer program code for controlling exhaust gases produced by an internal combustion engine and a system for controlling exhaust gases produced by an internal combustion engine is provided wherein the system includes a vehicle sensor and an engine control module and wherein the method includes obtaining a vehicle data signal responsive to the engine performance of the internal combustion engine, processing the vehicle data signal so as to formulate an engine operating parameter, wherein the engine operating parameter is responsive to the hydrocarbon content of the exhaust gases and controlling the fuel introduced into the internal combustion engine in a manner responsive to the engine operating parameter.

Abstract: A method for equalizing the measured voltage of each cluster in a fuel cell stack wherein at least one of the clusters has a different number of cells than the identical number of cells in the remaining clusters by creating a pseudo voltage for the different cell numbered cluster. The average cell voltage of the all of the cells in the fuel cell stack is calculated and multiplied by a constant equal to the difference in the number of cells in the identical cell clusters and the number of cells in the different numbered cell cluster. The resultant product is added to the actual voltage measured across the different numbered cell cluster to create a pseudo voltage which is equivalent in cell number to the number of cells in the other identical numbered cell clusters.

Abstract: An exhaust treatment system is provided for use with an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The exhaust treatment system includes a parallel plate, monolithic plasma reactor for reducing nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas from the engine, an electric power source for providing an electrical signal to the electrodes of the plasma reactor, and a controller interconnected between the electric power source and the plasma reactor for modulating the electrical signal to the plasma reactor. More specifically, the electric power source provides an alternating current electrical signal and the controller modulates the electrical signal off in accordance with a predetermined duty cycle, thereby achieving uniform barrier discharge in the plasma reactor.

Abstract: An exhaust treatment system is provided for use with an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The exhaust treatment system includes a parallel plate, monolithic plasma reactor for reducing nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas from the engine, an electric power source for providing an electrical signal to the electrodes of the plasma reactor, and a controller interconnected between the electric power source and the plasma reactor for modulating the electrical signal to the plasma reactor. More specifically, the electric power source provides an alternating current electrical signal and the controller modulates the electrical signal off in accordance with a predetermined duty cycle, thereby achieving uniform barrier discharge in the plasma reactor.

Abstract: A method for controlling the heat output of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual air inlet streams including atmospheric air and fuel cell cathode effluent containing oxygen depleted air. In all operating modes, an enthalpy balance is provided by regulating the quantity of the air flow stream to the combustor to support fuel cell processor heat requirements. A control provides a quick fast forward change in an air valve orifice cross section in response to a calculated predetermined air flow, the molar constituents of the air stream to the combustor, the pressure drop across the air valve, and a look up table of the orifice cross sectional area and valve steps. A feedback loop fine tunes any error between the measured air flow to the combustor and the predetermined air flow.