Abstract: An engine control system includes a prediction module that, during an exhaust stroke of a first cylinder of an engine, determines a predicted intake manifold pressure at an end of a next intake stroke of a second cylinder following the first cylinder in a firing order of the cylinders. An air per cylinder (APC) module determines a predicted mass of air that will be trapped within the second cylinder at the end of the next intake stroke of the second cylinder based on the predicted intake manifold pressure. A fueling module controls fueling of the second cylinder during the next intake stroke based on the predicted mass of air.

Abstract: A torque requesting module generates a torque request for an engine based on driver input. A model predictive control (MPC) module: identifies sets of possible target values based on the torque request, each of the sets of possible target values including target effective throttle area percentage; determines predicted operating parameters for the sets of possible target values, respectively; determines cost values for the sets of possible target values, respectively; selects one of the sets of possible target values based on the cost values; and sets target values based on the possible target values of the selected one of the sets, respectively, the target values including a target pressure ratio across the throttle valve. A target area module determines a target opening area of the throttle valve based on the target effective throttle area percentage ratio. A throttle actuator module controls the throttle valve based on the target opening.

Abstract: A method to determine reference actuator positions for a gasoline engine, includes entering a base torque request, a known spark advance, a known CAM position and a known exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve position into an inverse torque model to generate a first iteration desired air per cylinder (APC) value. The first iteration desired APC value is passed through a deadband filter to produce a filtered first iteration desired APC signal. A Predicted As Cal (PAC) spark advance is calculated for the filtered first iteration desired APC value. The PAC spark advance and the base torque request are modified, and data from a first lookup table is entered to generate a second iteration desired APC value.

Abstract: Computational models and calculations relating to trapped and scavenged air per cylinder (APC) improve scavenging and non-scavenging operational modes of internal combustion engines as well as the transition there-between. Data from sensors which include engine speed, manifold air pressure, barometric pressure, crankshaft position, and valve state are provided to a pair of artificial neural networks. A first neural network utilizes this data to calculate the nominal volume of gas, i.e., air trapped in the cylinder. A second neural network utilizes this data to calculate the trapping ratio. The output of the first network is utilized with the ideal gas law to calculate the actual mass of trapped APC. The actual mass of trapped APC is also divided by the trapping ratio calculated by the second network to determine the total APC and is further utilized to calculate the scavenged APC by subtracting the trapped APC from the total APC.

Abstract: A torque requesting module generates a torque request for an engine based on driver input. A model predictive control (MPC) module: identifies sets of possible target values based on the torque request, each of the sets of possible target values including target effective throttle area percentage; determines predicted operating parameters for the sets of possible target values, respectively; determines cost values for the sets of possible target values, respectively; selects one of the sets of possible target values based on the cost values; and sets target values based on the possible target values of the selected one of the sets, respectively, the target values including a target pressure ratio across the throttle valve. A target area module determines a target opening area of the throttle valve based on the target effective throttle area percentage ratio. A throttle actuator module controls the throttle valve based on the target opening.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an engine actuator control module and at least one of a valve lift control module and a cylinder activation module. The valve lift control module adjusts a target lift state of a valve actuator of an engine to adjust an amount by which at least one of an intake valve of a cylinder of the engine and an exhaust valve of the cylinder is lifted from a valve seat. The cylinder activation module determines a target number of activated cylinders in the engine. The engine actuator control module that controls a first actuator of the engine at a present time based on at least one of the target lift state at a future time and the target number of activated cylinders at the future time. The first actuator is different than the valve actuator.

Abstract: A method to determine reference actuator positions for a gasoline engine, includes entering a base torque request, a known spark advance, a known CAM position and a known exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve position into an inverse torque model to generate a first iteration desired air per cylinder (APC) value. The first iteration desired APC value is passed through a deadband filter to produce a filtered first iteration desired APC signal. A Predicted As Cal (PAC) spark advance is calculated for the filtered first iteration desired APC value. The PAC spark advance and the base torque request are modified, and data from a first lookup table is entered to generate a second iteration desired APC value.

Abstract: An engine control system of a vehicle includes an estimation module and an actuator module. The estimation module estimates a crankshaft angle where 50 percent of a mass of fuel is burned during a combustion event based on: a combustion speed when a crankshaft of an engine is at a predetermined position during the combustion event; an engine speed; a mass of air per cylinder (APC); a spark timing; and a predetermined spark timing. The actuator module controls an engine actuator based on the crankshaft angle where 50 percent of the mass of fuel is burned during the combustion event.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a first burn duration module and a spark control module. The first burn duration module determines a first duration of at least a portion of a fuel burn within a cylinder of an engine from a first time when a first predetermined percentage of a mass of fuel within the cylinder is burned to a second time when a second predetermined percentage of the fuel mass is burned. The spark control module controls a spark plug to adjust spark timing of the cylinder based on the first burn duration.

Abstract: Computational models and calculations relating to trapped and scavenged air per cylinder (APC) improve scavenging and non-scavenging operational modes of internal combustion engines as well as the transition there-between. Data from sensors which include engine speed, manifold air pressure, barometric pressure, crankshaft position, and valve state are provided to a pair of artificial neural networks. A first neural network utilizes this data to calculate the nominal volume of gas, i.e., air trapped in the cylinder. A second neural network utilizes this data to calculate the trapping ratio. The output of the first network is utilized with the ideal gas law to calculate the actual mass of trapped APC. The actual mass of trapped APC is also divided by the trapping ratio calculated by the second network to determine the total APC and is further utilized to calculate the scavenged APC by subtracting the trapped APC from the total APC.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a first model predictive control (MPC) module and an engine actuator module. The first MPC module generates predicted parameters based on a model of an engine and a set of possible target values and generates a cost for the set of possible target values based on the predicted parameters and a desired exhaust enthalpy. The first MPC module also selects the set of possible target values from multiple sets of possible target values based on the cost. The engine actuator module adjusts an actuator of the engine based on at least one of the target values.

Abstract: A system according to the present disclosure includes an engine parameter estimation module, an error magnitude module, an engine parameter adjustment module, and an engine actuator control module. The engine parameter estimation module estimates an engine operating parameter using a physics-based model. The error magnitude module determines a magnitude of error between the estimated engine operating parameter and an actual value of the engine operating parameter using an experimental model. The engine parameter adjustment module adjusts the estimated engine operating parameter based on the error magnitude. The engine actuator control module controls an actuator of the engine based on the estimated engine operating parameter as adjusted.

Abstract: A system includes a catalyst light-off module that selectively generates a first signal based on an engine coolant temperature and an estimated exhaust enthalpy, a setpoint module that selectively initiates a catalyst light-off period in response to receiving the first signal and that generates a desired exhaust enthalpy, and a first model predictive control (MPC) module that generates predicted parameters based on a model of an engine and a set of possible target values, generates a cost for the set of possible target values based on the predicted parameters and the desired exhaust enthalpy, and selects the set of possible target values from multiple sets of possible target values based on the cost. The system also includes an engine actuator module that adjusts an actuator of the engine based on at least one of the target values.

Abstract: An engine control system includes a prediction module that, during an exhaust stroke of a first cylinder of an engine, determines a predicted intake manifold pressure at an end of a next intake stroke of a second cylinder following the first cylinder in a firing order of the cylinders. An air per cylinder (APC) module determines a predicted mass of air that will be trapped within the second cylinder at the end of the next intake stroke of the second cylinder based on the predicted intake manifold pressure. A fueling module controls fueling of the second cylinder during the next intake stroke based on the predicted mass of air.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an engine actuator control module and at least one of a valve lift control module and a cylinder activation module. The valve lift control module adjusts a target lift state of a valve actuator of an engine to adjust an amount by which at least one of an intake valve of a cylinder of the engine and an exhaust valve of the cylinder is lifted from a valve seat. The cylinder activation module determines a target number of activated cylinders in the engine. The engine actuator control module that controls a first actuator of the engine at a present time based on at least one of the target lift state at a future time and the target number of activated cylinders at the future time. The first actuator is different than the valve actuator.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a first burn duration module and a spark control module. The first burn duration module determines a first duration of at least a portion of a fuel burn within a cylinder of an engine from a first time when a first predetermined percentage of a mass of fuel within the cylinder is burned to a second time when a second predetermined percentage of the fuel mass is burned. The spark control module controls a spark plug to adjust spark timing of the cylinder based on the first burn duration.

Abstract: An engine control system of a vehicle includes an estimation module and an actuator module. The estimation module estimates a crankshaft angle where 50 percent of a mass of fuel is burned during a combustion event based on: a combustion speed when a crankshaft of an engine is at a predetermined position during the combustion event; an engine speed; a mass of air per cylinder (APC); a spark timing; and a predetermined spark timing. The actuator module controls an engine actuator based on the crankshaft angle where 50 percent of the mass of fuel is burned during the combustion event.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a desired capacity module, an anticipated torque request module, and an engine actuator module. The desired capacity module generates a desired torque capacity of an engine at a future time based on a present torque request and a maximum torque output of the engine. The anticipated torque request module generates an anticipated torque request based on the desired torque capacity. The engine actuator module controls an actuator of the engine at a present time based on the anticipated torque request.

Abstract: A control system includes a control module that receives a first request corresponding to a control value for at least one of a plurality of actuators, selectively receives a second request associated with a predicted future control value for at least one of the plurality of actuators, determines a target value for the actuator based on the first request if the second request was not received, and generates a reference signal representing the second request if the second request was received. The reference signal indicates at least one of a predicted increase in the control value and a predicted decrease in the control value. A model predictive control module receives the reference signal and adjusts one of the plurality of actuators associated with the predicted future control value based on the reference signal.

Abstract: A prediction module, based on a set of possible target values for M future times and a model of an engine, determines predicted torques of the engine for the M future times, respectively. M is an integer greater than one. A cost module determines a cost for the set of possible target values based on comparisons of the predicted torques for the M future times with engine torque requests for the M future times, respectively. A selection module, based on the cost, selects the set of possible target values from a group including the set of possible target values and N other sets of possible target values, wherein N is an integer greater than zero, and sets target values based on the selected set of possible target values. An actuator module controls an engine actuator based on a first one of the target values.