Abstract: An ignition timing controller includes a storage and a processor configured or programmed to function as an ignition timing control section and a knocking determining section. The storage stores at least one of a first ignition timing map associated with a first fuel or a second ignition timing map associated with a second fuel more likely to cause knocking of an internal combustion engine than the first fuel. The ignition timing control section controls the ignition timing based on the first ignition timing map by executing a timing retardation based on the first ignition timing map when it is determined that knocking of the internal combustion engine has occurred. The ignition timing control section controls the ignition timing of the internal combustion engine based on the second ignition timing map by executing a timing advancement correction based on the second ignition timing map when it is determined that the knocking of the internal combustion engine has not occurred.

Abstract: A method for determining a time of contact of a capacitive sensor includes continuously measuring a capacitance value of the capacitive sensor and processing the measured capacitance value into a digital sensor signal. The sensor signal is filtered to output a filter signal. Initial dynamics of the filter signal are identified upon the filter signal exceeding a first set filter threshold value. A time at which the filter signal falls below a second set filter threshold value is determined as being a potential time of contact of the capacitive sensor. An actual time of contact of the capacitive sensor is determined when the sensor signal relative to an offset of the sensor signal exceeds a sensor signal threshold value. The offset of the sensor signal is a value of the sensor signal prior to the contact of the capacitive sensor.

Abstract: An ignition timing control device for an internal combustion engine includes a storage device and a processor. The storage device stores a first learned neural network and a second learned neural network. The processor is configured to perform, in a next cycle where ignition timing is delayed, control to delay the ignition timing in a cycle after the next cycle based on a difference between a predictive value of an estimate of a value representing knocking intensity calculated with use of the second learned neural network and the estimate of the value representing the knocking intensity calculated with use of the first learned neural network. When the difference is larger than a predetermined set value, the processor is configured not to perform the control to delay the ignition timing in the cycle after the next cycle.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine which performs a homogeneous lean combustion mode and a stratified lean combustion mode, there is provided a new internal combustion engine control device capable of obtaining a stable combustion state by decreasing influences of delay of an air flow and a degree of change of a transient state and smoothly performing switching between the homogeneous lean combustion mode and the stratified lean combustion mode.

Abstract: A control device for an engine is provided, which includes a knock intensity sensor configured to detect a knock intensity, an output adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an engine output torque, and a controller configured to control the output adjustment mechanism based on the knock intensity. The controller executes a first control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the knock intensity when the number of strong knocks that is the number of times the knock intensity becomes a second determination intensity or greater is a given determination number or less and when the knock intensity is greater than a first determination intensity, and executes a second control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the maximum torque more than when the number of strong knocks is the determination number or less, when the number of strong knocks is greater than the determination number.

Abstract: A method of controlling a gas engine that is operated under lean-burn conditions, the method adjusting ignition timing such that a delay calculation value of an actual knocking occurrence ratio becomes a target occurrence ratio, the method comprising: when a delay calculation value of a maximum pressure in a cylinder of the gas engine is greater than or equal to a reference value, converting the delay calculation value into a virtual knocking occurrence ratio greater than or equal to a value greater than the target occurrence ratio; and either adding the virtual knocking occurrence ratio to the delay calculation value of the actual knocking occurrence ratio and then comparing the resulting delay calculation value of the actual knocking occurrence ratio with the target occurrence ratio, or comparing the virtual knocking occurrence ratio instead of the delay calculation value of the actual knocking occurrence ratio with the target occurrence ratio.

Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes a knock control system, a cooling system, and an electronic control unit. The knock control system is configured to ignite a spark plug an ignition crank angle obtained by retarding the ignition crank angle in response to an occurrence of the knocking. The electronic control unit is configured to supply a command value corresponding to a target value of a cooling parameter to the cooling system such that the cooling system performs cooling of the internal combustion engine according to the command value. The electronic control unit is configured to correct the command value based on a KCS learned value such that as the KCS learned value increases, a correction amount for correcting the command value increases in correction amount in a direction in which a cooling capacity of the cooling system increases.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ignition timing control device and ignition timing control system for an internal combustion engine, capable of controlling an ignition timing of the engine promptly in response to a change in engine operating conditions. An ignition timing adjustment unit (43) is adapted to correct the ignition timing to a proper ignition timing in a retard region with reference to a maximum advance value based on a knocking signal outputted from a knocking detection unit (41) and a reference ignition signal (A) outputted from an external electronic control unit (37). The output signal from the ignition timing adjustment unit (43) can be thus promptly adjusted by retarding the ignition timing relative to a reference ignition timing given from the external electronic control unit (37) upon detection of engine knocking.

Abstract: An igniter includes: a switch connected to an ignition coil; and a controller to control the switch according to an ignition signal. The controller includes an ignition signal input; a determination stage comparing a voltage of the input with a reference voltage to generate a determination signal; a drive stage controlling the switch's ON/OFF according to the determination signal; a comparison circuit receiving a first supply voltage, comparing a current on the switch with a reference current, and generating a feedback-signal having a level based on the comparison; an output transistor having one end grounded and the other end connected to an output terminal of an ignition check signal and having a threshold voltage higher than the first supply voltage; and a level-shifter receiving a second supply voltage higher than the threshold voltage, level-shifting the feedback-signal, and outputting the level-shifted feedback-signal to a control terminal of the output transistor.

Abstract: An engine system for a vessel propulsion device includes an engine including an intake amount adjusting unit and an ignition plug, and configured to generate a drive force for the vessel propulsion device. The engine system includes an ignition timing control unit, a knocking detecting unit, a knocking retard control unit that retards the ignition timing of the ignition plug by a unit retard amount when the knocking detecting unit detects knocking, an abnormality judging unit that, when a state where the knocking detecting unit detects knocking at intervals within a predetermined time continues, judges that an abnormality has occurred based on a continued state of knocking detection, and an intake amount limiting unit that limits the intake amount of the engine based on judgment of an abnormality made by the abnormality judging unit.

Abstract: A method for regulating an ignition time for combustion processes of an internal combustion engine includes determining an ignition angle for a combustion process as a function of an operating parameter of the internal combustion engine, based on a characteristic diagram and as a function of a knocking limit offset.

Abstract: A knock diagnostic module having a knock module that increments a sample count when a cylinder firing signal corresponding to a first cylinder is received and selectively increments a knock count based on a knock detection signal that corresponds to the cylinder firing signal of the first cylinder A knock analysis module analyzes the knock count of the first cylinder when the sample count of the first cylinder reaches a predetermined value and selectively generates an excessive knock signal when the knock count exceeds a predetermined threshold. A remedial action module selectively performs a remedial action based on the excessive knock signal.

Abstract: An electronic control unit (ECU), for use with an internal combustion engine, determines whether an abnormal combustion has occurred in the engine. The ECU uses a sensor signal amplifier to amplify a sensor signal from a sensor by changing an amplification power of the sensor signal and an A/D converter to convert the sensor signal amplified to a digital signal (i.e., a digitized sensor signal). The ECU uses an abnormal combustion detector to determine whether an abnormal combustion has occurred based on a characteristic of a waveform of the digitized sensor signal, and performs an abnormal combustion prevention control to prevent the abnormal combustion when an abnormal combustion is detected. An amplification controller is used to set the amplification power of the sensor signal amplifier based on the amplitude of the digitized sensor signal and a determination result of the abnormal combustion by the abnormal combustion detector.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine provided with a variable compression ratio mechanism able to change a mechanical compression ratio and a variable valve timing mechanism able to control a closing timing of an intake valve. An actual compression ratio and ignition timing in a predetermined standard state after completion of engine warm-up are stored in advance as a reference actual compression ratio and a reference ignition timing. When the engine temperature is low or the intake air temperature is low, at the time of engine high speed operation, the actual compression ratio is made to increase over the reference actual compression ratio, while at the time of engine low speed operation, the ignition timing is made to advance over the reference ignition timing.

Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a mode control module and a valve control module. The mode control module selectively sets an ignition mode for an engine to one of a spark ignition (SI) mode and a homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) mode. In response to the ignition mode transitioning from the SI mode to the HCCI mode during a first engine cycle, the valve control module operates an exhaust valve in a high lift mode during a second engine cycle, operates an intake valve in a low lift mode during the second engine cycle, and operates the exhaust and intake valves in the low lift mode during a third engine cycle. The first engine cycle is before the second engine cycle, and the second engine cycle is before the third engine cycle.

Abstract: A method, and corresponding device, for processing a pressure signal from a pressure sensor mounted in a combustion chamber to detect a combustion in an internal combustion engine. The method provides a pressure signal; filters the pressure signal with a filtration mechanism having a variable gain; generates an output signal representative of the filtered pressure signal; generates a signal representative of the error between the pressure signal and the output signal; and determines if the combustion has occurred during an expansion phase of the thermodynamic cycle.

Abstract: An Otto cycle internal combustion engine (10) provided with a combustion chamber (14) and an inlet (18) and an outlet (20) with respective valves (24 and 26), and a suction passage (29) leading to the said at least one inlet (18) to conduct the flow of fluid material thereto. The engine (10) further comprises a control valve (28) arranged upstream of the inlet valve (24) and being operable to change between a condition in which it opens the suction passage (29) and a condition in which it closes the suction passage (29). An engine operating position sensor (90) provides signals indicative of the operating position of the engine (10). There is also an engine power control (92). A variable intermediate position control signal generator (95), generates control signals at times respectively between the beginning and the end of each of a succession of inlet valve opening periods of the engine cycle.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle, comprising an engine speed detector that detects speed of the engine, an ignition timing calculator that calculates an ignition timing of the engine based on at least the detected engine speed, a load detector that detects load in a compression stroke of the engine, and an ignition controller that controls the ignition timing to be the calculated timing, and controls the ignition timing to be a retarded timing than the calculated timing when the detected load is equal to or greater than a threshold value. With this, it becomes possible to avoid the unnecessary decrease of engine output which adversely affects driving feel of the operator, and effectively prevent the knocking and kickback from occurring.

Abstract: An operation status value detection unit detects two or more operation status values indicating an operation status of an internal combustion engine. A filtering processing unit applies filtering processing to the detected operation status values, and an operation status value difference calculation unit calculates the difference between the filter-processed operation status value and the corresponding non-filter-processed operation status value so as to calculate two or more operation status value differences. An operation status value difference normalization unit normalizes the two or more operation status value differences, based on predetermined reference values for the two or more operation status values, so as to calculate two or more normalized operation status value differences; and a transient correction unit corrects a control amount for controlling output of the internal combustion engine, based thereon, when the engine is in a transient-operation mode.

Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders is provided. The method comprises: during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to before a peak torque timing, and retarding spark timing from the advanced timing toward the peak torque timing in response to decreased engine speed to maintain idling speed.

Abstract: An engine control device includes an engine revolution speed information acquisition device for acquiring the revolution speed of an engine, an accelerator opening sensor for detecting the opening of an accelerator operated by a rider of a vehicle mounted with the engine, a throttle opening control unit configured to control an opening of a throttle of the engine on the basis of the opening of the accelerator and other information, and an ignition control unit configured to limit ignition at a crank position before a compression top dead center on the basis of the opening of the accelerator and the revolution speed of the engine.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of enhancing the accuracy of fuel control and ignition timing control even when there is a possibility that the reliability of a calculated intake air amount lowers, and enables reduction of manufacturing costs. An ECU of the control system calculates a first estimated intake air amount according to a valve lift, a cam phase, and a compression ratio, calculates a second estimated intake air amount according to the flow rate of air detected by an air flow sensor. The ECU determines a fuel injection amount according to the first estimated intake air amount when an estimated flow rate Gin_vt calculated based on an engine speed, the valve lift, the cam phase, and the compression ratio is within the range of Gin_vt?Gin1, and according to the second estimated intake air amount when Gin2?Gin_vt.

Abstract: A method for computing an ignition angle of an internal combustion engine as a function of the operating conditions of the engine and knock signals K, which indicate knocking combustion in the engine. If knock occurs, the ignition angle is retarded. If knock stops for a first period, the ignition angle is advanced again. Advance of the ignition angle is limited on the basis of the first period. If knock stops for a second period, which exceeds the first period, the ignition angle is further advanced.

Abstract: When a fuel injection period and a knock determination period switch from a state in which they do not overlap to a state in which they do overlap, operational noise from a fuel injector rides on an output signal from a knock sensor during the knock determination period. By preventing execution of knock control that changes the ignition timing based on determination results from after that switch until a predetermined period of time has passed, it is possible to preferably avoid a case in which the ignition timing is improperly changed based on an erroneous determination in the knock determination due to an effect from operational noise from the fuel injector.

Abstract: A method for controlling incidences of combustion in an unloaded internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The method includes, determining a load-dynamics threshold, detecting an unloaded operating state of the internal combustion engine, detecting an incidence of the load-dynamics threshold being exceeded in the unloaded operating state, and retarding the ignition timing to form a load-dynamics aiming-off allowance that prevents combustion knock.

Abstract: A knock control system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders. Operation of the engine is switchable between a partial-cylinder operation for operating some of the cylinders and an all-cylinder operation for operating all of the cylinders. A determination threshold for determining knocking is set according to an output signal from the knock sensor. A level of the output signal from the knock sensor is compared with the determination threshold, and occurrence of knocking is determined according to a result of the comparison. The determination threshold used during the partial-cylinder operation is set to a value less than a value of the determination threshold used during the all-cylinder operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling timing of an internal combustion engine having a piston located in a cylinder. The method and apparatus includes determining a first angular position of a crankshaft at a first location along a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft, determining a second angular position of the crankshaft at a second location along the longitudinal axis, determining a level of deformation of the crankshaft as a function of a difference between the first and second angular positions, determining an actual position of the piston as a function of the crankshaft deformation, comparing the actual piston position to a desired piston position, and controlling timing of an event to initiate combustion in the cylinder as a function of a difference between the actual and desired piston positions.

Abstract: The invention provides such a knock control apparatus or method for an internal combustion engine as is capable of suitably avoiding an erroneous determination on the occurrence of knocking and controlling knocking. This control apparatus comprises a knock determiner, a controller, and a setter. If an intensity of engine oscillation detected during a predetermined knock determination period is equal to or higher than a predetermined knock determination level, the knock determiner determines that knocking has occurred. The controller controls an ignition timing on the basis of a result of the determination. The setter sets an end timing of the knock determination period at an advanced timing on the basis of the ignition timing retardation amount in the retardation control.

Abstract: Based on an ionic current intensity determined by ionic current intensity learning means for determining the ionic current intensity based on an output from an ionic current detection circuit, at least one of a comparison reference value of a comparison reference value setting means and a control parameter correction amount of control parameter correction request amount setting means is corrected, so that, even in a case where fuel is mixed with additives, and a case where a non-standard spark plug is mounted, the ionic current amount fluctuation is accurately determined even if the amplitude of a knock signal varies due to ionic current intensity fluctuation, and correction of the comparison reference value corresponding to the ionic current intensity, or correction of the control parameter, is performed, to thereby prevent erroneous control based on erroneous knock detection, and securely achieve an excellent knock detection status and knock control status.

Abstract: The method is used for controlling incidences of combustion in an unloaded internal combustion engine (10) of a vehicle.

Abstract: Based on an ionic current intensity determined by ionic current intensity learning means for determining the ionic current intensity based on an output from an ionic current detection circuit, at least one of a comparison reference value of a comparison reference value setting means and a control parameter correction amount of control parameter correction request amount setting means is corrected, so that, even in a case where fuel is mixed with additives, and a case where a non-standard spark plug is mounted, the ionic current amount fluctuation is accurately determined even if the amplitude of a knock signal varies due to ionic current intensity fluctuation, and correction of the comparison reference value corresponding to the ionic current intensity, or correction of the control parameter, is performed, to thereby prevent erroneous control based on erroneous knock detection, and securely achieve an excellent knock detection status and knock control status.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine and a corresponding device are described in which a combustion of a fuel in a fuel-air mixture introduced into a cylinder occurs in at least one cylinder. At least one adjusting device is used to influence at least one physical process, which modifies the distribution of the constituents and/or the overall composition of the fuel-air mixture in the at least one cylinder. If knock occurs, a knock control is used to gradually retard an ignition angle in the at least one cylinder from a fundamental ignition angle by an adjustment angle. When the adjustment of the at least one adjusting device exceeds a specifiable first threshold and/or the change in the at least one physical process exceeds a specifiable second threshold, the adjustment angle is rapidly reduced by increments, the more rapid reduction occurring with a larger increment and/or with a higher frequency of increments.

Abstract: A knock control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a knock detector for extracting a vibration component superposed on an ion current, and waveform shaping it at a predetermined threshold value to generate a train of knock pulses (Kp) of which the number of pulses indicates a knock intensity of a knock generated in the internal combustion engine, and an engine control unit for counting the number of knock pulses (npn) in the knock pulse train (Kp) output from the knock detector. The engine control unit judges, based on the number of knock pulses (npn), whether or not a knock is occurring. The engine control unit performs a peak hold of the number of knock pulses to calculate the knock judgement threshold value (BGL) by multiplying the number of pulses by (&agr;). Thus, precision in knock judgement is improved by performing knock judgement based on a maximum value (MAX) of the number of knock pulses (npn).

Abstract: A knock suppression control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which can avoid erroneous knock detection and hence the erroneous knock suppression control, to thereby ensure knock suppression control with high reliability.

Abstract: A method for knock regulation in an internal combustion engine, includes using signals from at least one knock sensor to obtain knock values (KW) and using these knock values (KW) to form knock thresholds (KS) with which the knock values (KW) are compared for the purpose of identifying engine knock. Each determined knock value (KW) is compared with a limit value (g) and is replaced by a replacement value (E) if it exceeds the limit value (g), for calculation of a practical knock threshold (KS).

Abstract: A method for determining ignition angles for individual cylinders in a multicylinder internal combustion engine forms the ignition angles for the individual cylinders, based on values of a basic family of characteristics (KFB) which applies to all cylinders, as a function of a knocking behavior of the internal combustion engine on the basis of a first (fast) and second (slow) adaptation loop. Once the internal combustion engine has been stopped, the values that are present are used in a third adaptation loop to form a family of characteristics (KF3) which is applicable to all cylinders (z), and a shift value (ZW3(z)) for each cylinder. These are stored in a non-volatile manner.