Fail-safe System Patents (Class 701/107)
  • Patent number: 8689758
    Abstract: An ECU for controlling a starter includes a transistor in addition to transistors, which turn on relays provided for a pinion gear and a motor of the starter, respectively. The transistor is provided in a current path, which connects a line of a battery voltage and a junction between upstream side ends of coils of the relays. The ECU operates the starter by turning on the three transistors, which turn on the relays. It further detects abnormality based on voltages of terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Ryouta Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140074382
    Abstract: A common rail fuel system includes a common rail supplied by an inlet metered high pressure pump and fluidly connected to a plurality of zero-leak fuel injectors. An electronic controller controls pressure in the common rail predominantly responsive to a rail pressure error when outside of an overshoot avoidance condition corresponding to the error being less than a first threshold and a time rate of change of the error being greater than a second threshold. Pressure in the common rail is controlled predominantly responsive to the time rate of change of the error during the overshoot avoidance condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Nandagopal Methil-Sudhakaran, Daniel R. Puckett, Frank Lombardi
  • Patent number: 8666639
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel supply control apparatus and to a fuel supply control method, provided with an engine control unit and a fuel pump control unit. The engine control unit outputs an actuating signal for a fuel pump to the fuel pump control unit. The fuel pump control unit outputs a diagnostic signal indicating whether or not abnormality occurs in input of the actuating signal to the engine control unit. Furthermore, the engine control unit diagnoses whether or not abnormality occurs in input of the diagnostic signal and diagnoses based on the output signal from a fuel pressure sensor whether or not abnormality occurs in a control of fuel pressure. Then, the engine control unit performs a fail-safe function, based on whether or not the abnormality occurs in the input of the diagnostic signal, whether or not the abnormality occurs in the control of the fuel pressure, and whether or not the abnormality occurs in the input of the actuating signal in the fuel pump control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Saruwatari, Yuichi Toyama
  • Patent number: 8630786
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a sealed fuel system having a fuel tank, a canister for storing fuel vapor, a vapor circuit external to the fuel tank, and a control valve. The vapor circuit includes an absolute pressure sensor and a switching valve connecting the fuel tank to the control valve. A controller evaluates or diagnoses a vapor purge function of the sealed fuel system using vacuum measurements from the absolute pressure sensor, executing or diagnosing only when the engine is running, purge is enabled, and the pump is off. The controller diagnoses the vapor purge function by comparing the vacuum measurements to a threshold vacuum. An apparatus includes the vapor circuit and controller. A method for diagnosing the vapor purge function includes actuating the switching valve, measuring a vacuum in the system using the absolute pressure sensor, and comparing the measured vacuum to a threshold vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jackson, William R. Cadman, Kurt D. McLain, David Edward Prout
  • Patent number: 8573185
    Abstract: An anomaly in a high-pressure fuel system of an internal combustion engine is diagnosed early on and with high precision, and, further, the anomaly site is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd
    Inventors: Ryusei Miura, Yoichi Iihoshi, Akihito Numata, Eisaku Fukuchi, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Patent number: 8560199
    Abstract: A control system in a vehicle including a front wheel which is a driven wheel and a rear wheel which is a drive wheel, the control system including: a control unit configured to control a driving power generated in a driving source according to a driving state of the vehicle; and a front wheel speed sensor configured to detect a rotational speed of the front wheel; the control unit including: a wheelie determiner configured to determine whether or not a predetermined wheelie starting condition is met, based on a value detected by the front wheel speed sensor; and a driving power controller configured to suppress the driving power if the wheelie determiner determines that the predetermined wheelie starting condition is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8560212
    Abstract: In a method for generating an internal combustion engine configured to run on both a gas fuel and a liquid fuel, the shutoff valve of the gas injection system is initially closed, the engine is then operated with the liquid fuel, and subsequently all gas injection valves of the gas injection system are opened in a predefined pattern while the shutoff valve is still closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Kratt, Juergen Foerster, Christian Mengler, Thorsten Allgeier, Rudolf Moz, Winfried Langer, Jens Thurso
  • Patent number: 8548718
    Abstract: In an abnormality detection apparatus and an abnormality detection method for a construction in which each of cylinders is provided with a plurality of fuel injection valves, if it is discerned that a cause of the inter-cylinder variation abnormality exists in one of the fuel injection valves, an air/fuel ratio fluctuation parameter as an index value that represents the degree of the abnormality is calculated by normalizing the air/fuel ratio fluctuation parameter regarding that fuel injection valve on the basis of the injection proportion used when the parameter is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kato, Isao Nakajima, Yoshihisa Oda, Takefumi Uchida
  • Patent number: 8521404
    Abstract: The fuel injection apparatus includes: a fuel injector having a leading end that has an internal space in which fuel is accumulated and has a fuel injection port; and an adsorbent, capable of selectively adsorbing an alcohol component in a blended fuel of gasoline and alcohol, disposed in the internal space. The fuel injection apparatus controls an injection amount from the fuel injector such that an air-fuel ratio is a controlled target air-fuel ratio based on an alcohol concentration of a blended fuel supplied to the fuel injector. In this fuel injection apparatus, a fuel pressure is brought to a predetermined high fuel pressure during cold starting of the internal combustion engine. At this time, an adsorbed amount of alcohol on the adsorbent is estimated and any deviation in the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is corrected based on the adsorbed amount of alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumito Chiba, Mamoru Yoshioka, Takahiro Tsukagoshi, Ryota Onoe
  • Patent number: 8521403
    Abstract: A method and a device for interrupting unintended acceleration or unintended maintenance of vehicle speed comprising providing a driver operated fuel delivery disconnect system, said fuel delivery disconnect system comprising an electronic module programmed to temporarily disconnect electrical feed to a fuel delivery mechanism. The temporary interruption of the electrical feed places the vehicle in an idle mode without disrupting other vehicle control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventor: Donald R. Cook
  • Patent number: 8515651
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for stabilizing a controller and to the use of that method for stabilizing a controller system in an internal combustion engine. It is proposed that the stability of the controller first be established or excluded, that the control characteristic of the controller be altered and that the stability be checked again, and that those steps be repeated in a loop. For use in internal combustion engines, it is proposed that the order of precedence for the stabilization be specified and optionally made dependent on external ambient parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephane De Tricaud, Thomas Mueller
  • Patent number: 8498800
    Abstract: An engine control unit includes an anomaly judging section for judging whether or not there is any anomaly in throttle sensors based on the output of the throttle sensors, a throttle motor driving section for controlling the driving of a throttle motor, and a fuel injection control section for controlling the amount of fuel injection at the time of starting an engine by using the fuel injection map for starting. The throttle motor driving section stops the driving of the throttle motor if the throttle sensors are judged to be anomalous, and the fuel injection control section switches the fuel injection map for starting in a normal state into the fuel injection map for starting in an anomalous state at the time of restarting the engine after stopping the engine in a state wherein the throttle sensors are judged to be anomalous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Tsuyuguchi, Akihiko Hamazaki, Toru Takeda
  • Patent number: 8494755
    Abstract: The apparatus according to the invention comprises a controller for forming a speed signal arranged to receive speed measurement data of the internal combustion engine as well as speed reference data. The apparatus additionally comprises a module for forming the internal speed reference value instead of the speed reference value set to be used when forming the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Wartsila Finland Oy
    Inventors: Tom Kaas, Tom Troberg, Johan Pensar
  • Patent number: 8489311
    Abstract: A method is implemented in a vehicle having an electronic control unit (15), vehicle sensors, a data communication bus (16), and an on-board electrical network. The micro-hybrid system (1) comprises at least one rotary electrical machine (2) which is provided with a device (8) for detection of rotation, power circuits (14) comprising an inverter (7) and an excitation circuit (4) which supplies the rotary electrical machine (2), and a rectifier (11) which is supplied by the said rotary electrical machine (2), energy conversion circuits (12) which are connected to an energy storage device (9) which is supplied by the rectifier (11), a first circuit (13) to control the power circuits (14), and a second circuit (25) to control the energy conversion circuits (12). The method generates control signals (Dd. Exc., Dd. Ond., Auth. Exc., Auth. Ond.) on the basis of first information signals (Capt. Véh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Equipments Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Marc Ranier, Brice Lecole, Regis Gubian
  • Patent number: 8482420
    Abstract: A method of monitoring oil in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes measuring a sump temperature of the engine and measuring a power output of the engine. Oil consumption is calculated as a function of the measured sump temperature and the measured power output. Remaining oil life is calculated as a function of the calculated consumption. The method may include alerting a receiver of the calculated remaining oil life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel H. Blossfeld, Matthew J. Snider
  • Patent number: 8478509
    Abstract: A voltage spike generated by the collapse of the magnetic field in a fuel injector coil is stored in a capacitor and sent to an engine control unit at a correct time regardless of when the magnetic field in the injector coil actually collapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Inventors: William E. Kirkpatrick, Harley Leach
  • Patent number: 8467949
    Abstract: Systems and methods for isolating a performance anomaly within one or more line replaceable units (LRUs) on a gas turbine engine by monitoring the start up transient are presented. The system comprises a set of sensors, an anomaly detector and a fault isolation reasoner. Each sensor of the set monitors at least one operating parameter of at least one engine component. The anomaly detector is configured to detect an anomaly in a component by comparing a particular value of an operating parameter to a base line value of that parameter. The specific cause of the startup anomaly is isolated utilizing a set of component reasoners that is based on the nature of the detected anomaly. The key events during the engine startup are identified by the combination of monitoring physically relevant phases of a startup and monitoring the engine control schedule. The values at these key events are used for comparing at the anomaly detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Kyusung Kim
  • Publication number: 20130139795
    Abstract: In the engine including an MPL-EGR system having an HPL-EGR mechanism 6 and an LPL-EGR mechanism 7, a pressure difference between upstream side pressure and downstream side pressure of a low pressure EGR cooler 73 provided in the LPL-EGR mechanism 7 is detected by a pressure difference sensor 89. When an actual pressure difference value detected is higher than a reference pressure difference value in a state where no blocking occurs in the LPL-EGR mechanism 7, and the deviation amount therebetween reaches a predetermined amount, it is determined that the blocking occurs in the inside of the low pressure EGR cooler 73. In contrast, when the actual pressure difference value detected is lower than the reference pressure difference value, and the deviation amount therebetween reaches a predetermined amount, it is determined that the blocking occurs in the inside of the pipe members 74 and 75 except the low pressure EGR cooler 73.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotaka Saitoh, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Toru Kidokoro
  • Patent number: 8442745
    Abstract: In control executed by a fuel supply apparatus having a delivery passage that delivers fuel to a fuel injection valve, a fuel pump that pumps the fuel from a fuel tank to the delivery passage, and a check valve that allows the fuel to flow out of the delivery passage into the fuel tank, that opens when a first fuel pressure on the delivery passage is higher than a second fuel pressure on the fuel tank by at least a set pressure, when the first fuel pressure is lower than a lower limit pressure being higher than the set pressure in a case where fuel injection is to be stopped, the fuel pump is controlled so that the first fuel pressure rises to or above the lower limit pressure, and after the first fuel pressure has reached or exceeded the lower limit pressure, the abnormality diagnosis is executed on the check valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daigo Ando
  • Patent number: 8428853
    Abstract: A malfunction diagnostic apparatus for intake air temperature sensors includes a coolant temperature sensor; a first determination portion that determines that a precondition for performing a malfunction diagnosis is satisfied when a process of starting an engine is started, if a detected coolant temperature is determined to be equal to an intake air temperature detected by an intake air temperature sensor provided at a portion that is likely to be cooled, and a decrease amount, by which the detected coolant temperature decreases, is equal to or larger than a preset value; a second determination portion that makes a tentative determination based on a difference between the detected intake air temperatures, if the precondition is satisfied; and a third determination portion that determines whether the tentative determination is an invalid determination or a valid determination, based on a change in the detected intake air temperatures during a given time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toyokazu Nakashima, Kohei Kowata
  • Patent number: 8392093
    Abstract: A first camshaft misalignment value is determined from a measurement variable allocated to an engine air flow path. A second misalignment value is determined from a first operating variable outside of the air flow path. A trouble-free operation is identified when both values are smaller than a predefined first threshold. Misalignment is confirmed when one of both values is greater than the first and a difference between both values is smaller than a predefined second threshold. An air flow path fault is identified when the first value is greater and the second value is smaller than the first threshold and when the difference between both values is greater than the second threshold. A fault outside of the air flow path is identified, when the second value is greater and the first value is smaller than the first threshold and when the difference is greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Dingl, Gerhard Eser
  • Patent number: 8364385
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a cylinder pressure sensor and a control module. The cylinder pressure sensor measures pressure within a cylinder of an engine, generates increases in a cylinder pressure signal based on the pressure, selectively generates a predetermined profile in the cylinder pressure signal, and selectively resets the cylinder pressure signal to a predetermined reset level after generating the predetermined profile in the cylinder pressure signal. The control module receives the cylinder pressure signal, detects the predetermined profile of the cylinder pressure signal, and detects the resetting of the cylinder pressure signal to the predetermined reset level when the predetermined profile is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Buslepp, Douglas R. Verner, Joseph R. Dulzo
  • Patent number: 8353201
    Abstract: A method of determining whether a fault condition of an intake air temperature (IAT) sensor of an engine is present includes estimating a first manifold absolute pressure (MAP) based on a previously estimated first MAP and an estimated first mass air flow (MAF) as a function of the previously estimated first MAP and estimating a second MAP based on a previously estimated second MAP and a currently measured MAF. An IAT difference is determined based on the first MAP and the second MAP. Whether the fault condition of the IAT sensor is present is determined based on the IAT difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Inventors: Kurt D. McLain, Wenbo Wang
  • Patent number: 8346459
    Abstract: An oil flow control system has a flow control device and an oil accumulator controller. The flow control device includes a body, a passage extending through the body, and a flow control portion configured for selectively controlling flow through the passage. The oil accumulator controller is coupled to an actuation portion of the flow control device and is configured for receiving an engine oil pressure indicating signal from an engine oil pressure sensor, for receiving Minimum Engine Lubrication Oil Pressure (MELOP) threshold computing information for an engine comprising the engine oil pressure sensor, and for causing the actuation portion to manipulate the flow control portion in a manner resulting in the flow control portion affecting flow through the passage. Causing the actuation portion to manipulate the flow control portion is performed dependent upon the engine oil pressure indicating signal and a MELOP threshold computed using said MELOP threshold computing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventor: Aikmeng Kuah
  • Patent number: 8297258
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine (2) having multiple cylinders (3); fuel may be injected into the multiple cylinders (3) via corresponding injectors, and air may be let in via corresponding intake valves (9) in order to form an air-fuel mixture in the cylinders (3) for providing a drive torque, and combustion exhaust gas may be discharged from the cylinders (3) via a catalytic converter (6); having the following steps: operating the internal combustion engine (2) in a first engine operating mode in which no fuel is injected into at least one first cylinder (3), so that the at least one first cylinder (3) does not contribute to the drive torque, and fuel is only injected into at least one second cylinder (3) in order to provide the drive torque; and switching to a second engine operating mode in which fuel is injected into the at least one first cylinder (3) and into the at least one second cylinder (3), so that the at least one first cylinder (3) and the at least one second cylinder (3) co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Marcus Rosenberger
  • Patent number: 8296043
    Abstract: In a method for monitoring the functional capacity of an engine controller having a plurality of execution units, a comparison operating mode is provided, in which a torque monitoring program is executed on a plurality of execution units of the system, and signals outputted during the execution of the monitoring program by the execution units are compared with one another in order to recognize an error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Mueller, Volker Pitzal, Rainer Gmehlich
  • Patent number: 8281768
    Abstract: A control system and method for controlling a fuel system of an engine includes a steady state determination module determining the engine is operating at a steady state and a memory storing a first fuel correction. A fuel pump control module commands a predetermined fuel rail pressure change. The memory stores a second fuel correction after the predetermined fuel rail pressure change. A sensor error correction module determines a fuel rail pressure sensor error based on the first fuel correction and the second fuel correction and determines a fuel rail pressure in response to the sensor error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cinpinski, Donovan L. Dibble, Byungho Lee, Scot A. Douglas, Joseph R. Dulzo
  • Patent number: 8280614
    Abstract: A control device has a CPU for determining an opening time and a conversion time, set in a non-injection period between preceding and present injections, in an interception process every fuel injection, and a control circuit for controlling a converting unit, independent of the operation of the CPU, to convert an analog signal, indicating fuel pressure of an injector, into a converted value at the conversion time. The CPU determines a closing time from the opening time and the converted value in another interception process. The device has a driving circuit for starting the valve opening at the opening time to open the injector and to inject fuel from the opened injector into an engine and starting the valve closing at the closing time to close the injector and to stop the fuel injection when the injected fuel reaches a required quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kaneko, Hironari Nakagawa, Shigeo Tojo, Mitsuhiro Yabe
  • Publication number: 20120239279
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method are disclosed for forcing the fuel control module of a converted bi-fuel vehicle to reference a substitute fuel control map. The apparatus comprises a box affixed inside the cabin of a bi-fuel vehicle to the OBD port which sends false signals to the fuel control module indicating that the bi-fuel vehicle is running on a gasoline, ethanol, or a fuel other than the fuel powering the internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, the box in communication with the fuel control module feeds false sensor readings to the fuel control module to optimize fuel control in the vehicle engine. In other embodiments, the box overrides OEM sensor relay information, or forces the fuel control module to reference aftermarket sensors installed in place of, or in addition to, the OEM sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Aaron Stuart, Chad Buttars
  • Patent number: 8260529
    Abstract: An ignition controlling apparatus that can diagnose a state of spark discharge in an internal combustion engine, and perform appropriate actions based on the diagnostic results. In the internal combustion engine ignition controlling apparatus, a signal extracting device extracts an ion current that is generated together with combustion of a gas mixture inside a combustion chamber by spark discharge of an ignition apparatus based on an ignition signal of an ignition coil, includes a signal diagnosing device that sets a predetermined detection zone from a period in a single stroke of an internal combustion engine from a first spark discharge commencement until after a last spark discharge completion, and that determines an ignition state based on parameters included in the signal extracted in this detection zone, and controls the internal combustion engine in response to this ignition state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kimihiko Tanaya
  • Patent number: 8240290
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, when a fuel pressure detected by the fuel pressure detecting unit is not smaller than a threshold P_a, the value opening time duration of a injector is increased to a value larger than its normal value, such control as to stop fuel injection from the injector is inhibited, the low pressure fuel pump is stopped, thus quickly lowering the fuel pressure. After the fuel pressure is lowered, the valve opening time duration of the injector is returned to the normal value, and a discharge quantity of the low pressure fuel pump is changed on the basis of a difference between the fuel pressure detected by the fuel pressure detecting unit and a target fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Miyake, Masahiro Toyohara, Tomohiro Ohisa, Yoshikazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 8244448
    Abstract: The subject of the present invention is a method for remote starting an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The method includes detecting a wireless remote start signal; after detecting the wireless remote start signal, communicating with a garage door opener to determine if a garage door is closed; remote starting the engine if no closed garage door indication is received; transmitting a wireless garage door open signal and remote starting the engine if a closed garage door indication is received; monitoring a time since remote starting the engine; monitoring for vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle; and if no vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches a predetermined amount of time and the wireless garage door open signal was transmitted when the engine was remote started, automatically transmitting a wireless garage door close signal and automatically turning off the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin L. Newman
  • Patent number: 8234053
    Abstract: According to the invention, erroneous learning of an accelerator pedal fully-closed position is reliably detected, problems originating from the erroneous learning are prevented from arising, and further improvements in reliability of vehicle motion are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignees: Bosch Corporation, Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rika Takayanagi, Takayuki Wakai, Tadamichi Sakamoto, Masaki Shibasaki, Masaaki Maeno
  • Patent number: 8229654
    Abstract: An output restriction device for restricting engine output when a drive power output system for an internal combustion engine has an abnormality is provided. The output restriction device includes an abnormality detection unit, and initial restriction unit, and a secondary restriction unit. The abnormality restriction unit detects an abnormality in the drive power output system. The initial restriction unit restricts a tolerable range of the engine output to a first restriction region when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the drive power output system. A secondary restriction unit shifts the tolerable range of the engine output to a second restriction region, which has an upper limit lower than that of the first restriction region, in accordance with an operation history of the engine after the initial restriction unit restricts the tolerable range of the engine output to the first restriction region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Tahara, Mitsuhiro Nada, Hiroki Kinuhata
  • Patent number: 8200412
    Abstract: When a coolant temperature is abnormal and alcohol concentration of a main fuel detected by an alcohol concentration sensor is in a high concentration region, an auxiliary fuel supply is conducted. Thus, when the actual coolant temperature is in a low temperature region and an alcohol concentration of the main fuel is in a high concentration region, that is, when a volatility of the main fuel is not sufficient, the auxiliary fuel supply is certainly conducted. Furthermore, when the coolant temperature sensor is abnormal, the pseudo coolant temperature is set lower than the standard coolant temperature. A warming increase coefficient is computed by use of the pseudo coolant temperature. Thereby, the main fuel injection quantity is increased sufficiently when the actual coolant temperature is in a low temperature region and the alcohol concentration of the main fuel is in high concentration region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Nagasaki, Koji Wada
  • Patent number: 8170753
    Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, a tilting sensor configured to detect that a vehicle body of the vehicle has been tilted a predetermined angle or larger, a driving state sensor configured to detect a driving state of the vehicle using a component other than the tilting sensor, and a determiner configured to determine whether or not to stop the engine, based on a signal received from the tilting sensor, and a signal received from the driving state sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Kawamura, Junji Tamura, Takahiro Ogino, Seiichi Kai, Shinta Kawasetsu
  • Patent number: 8170775
    Abstract: The device including: a fuel correction value calculating unit for calculating a correction value for a fuel injection quantity so that an actual air-fuel ratio becomes equal to a target air-fuel ratio; a fuel switching detecting unit for detecting that fuel switching has occurred; a fuel property estimating unit for setting a period, in which there is a possibility that a fuel property changes, as a property change period when the fuel switching is detected to calculate a fuel property correction value corresponding to another correction value for the fuel injection quantity based on the correction value within the property change period; and a property change judging unit for judging whether or not a change in the correction value is due to the change in the fuel property in a case where the correction value becomes out of a predetermined range even though the property change period is not set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuyoshi Hori
  • Publication number: 20120095669
    Abstract: A fuel pressure varies according to whether a fuel pressure sensor and a high-pressure pump have a malfunction or not. In view of this, a first threshold Perr1 is defined for determining whether the fuel pressure sensor has a malfunction and a second threshold Perr2 is defined for determining whether the high-pressure pump has a malfunction. The second threshold Perr2 is greater than the first threshold Perr1. By comparing a detection value of the fuel pressure sensor with the first and the second threshold, a malfunction in the fuel pressure sensor and a malfunction in the high-pressure pump are distinguished from each other. A first fail-safe control or a second fail-safe control is executed according to a portion having a malfunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi KATSURAHARA
  • Patent number: 8145408
    Abstract: A procedure for checking the functionality of a metering valve (310) of a reducing agent system of a combustion engine, at which the metering device (105) is advanced from a tank (100) to the metering valve (310) with the aid of a controllable pump (12) at a constant pressure, comprising the metering valve (310) is impinged with a control variable that characterizes the causing of a status change of the metering valve (310), a variable is detected that characterized the flow rate of the pump (120), from this variable that characterizes the flow rate the functionality of the metering valve (310) is assumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Niclas Karlsson, Martin Czasch, Lars Wonnemann, Thomas Lorenz
  • Patent number: 8140246
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting a presence of a block heater in an automobile. In one embodiment, an automobile includes an engine, a radiator, an engine coolant temperature (“ECT”) sensor, and/or an engine control unit (“ECU”). The radiator delivers coolant to the engine to cool the engine. The ECT sensor is located in a path of the coolant and determines ECT data. The ECU determines a temperature difference between a current maximum temperature of the engine coolant temperature data at a first time period and a current minimum temperature of the engine coolant temperature data at a second time period after the first time period. When the temperature difference is greater than a predetermined temperature threshold, the ECU determines that the block heater is present. When the block heater is present, the ECU masks any engine malfunction detections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ashim Manchanda
  • Patent number: 8126636
    Abstract: An arrangement includes, but is not limited to an internal combustion engine, a pressure reducer that reduces gas pressure of gaseous fuel for the engine. The reducer connects on a high-pressure side to a gas tank and connects on the low-pressure side to a controllable gas injection valve regulating the gas flow. A high-pressure shutoff valve is on the high-pressure side and connected to the reducer to shut-off the gas flow from the gas tank. The high-pressure shutoff valve includes, but is not limited to a pilot valve with a small opening and a main valve with a large opening, and an electronic controller used at least for controlling the high-pressure valve and a gas injection valve. The pilot valve of the high-pressure valve opens in chronological order before the gas injection valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Andreas Jauss
  • Patent number: 8126637
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having a valve operating characteristic varying mechanism for continuously changing a lift amount of at least one intake valve of the engine. The valve operating characteristic varying mechanism includes a control shaft for changing the lift amount, a motor for rotating the control shaft, and a transmission mechanism provided between an output shaft of the motor and the control shaft for transmitting an actuating force of the motor to the control shaft. A first rotational angle sensor detects a rotational angle of the output shaft of the motor, and a second rotational angle sensor detects a rotational angle of the control shaft. A control of the lift amount of the at least one intake valve is performed according to the rotational angle detected by the first rotational angle sensor or the second rotational angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirohito Ide
  • Patent number: 8126638
    Abstract: In an engine which may show a behavior where an engine speed is not always minimized after compression top dead center of a cylinder in which poor fuel injection occurred, the cylinder in which poor fuel injection occurred is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Adachi, Shusuke Okada, Tomohiro Otani
  • Patent number: 8116966
    Abstract: A low power remote vehicle stopper with feedback that can disable a moving vehicle with low power microwave interruption signal. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for disrupting an internal combustion engine is provided. The system includes a receiver for wirelessly receiving an emitted signal from the internal combustion engine, the emitted signal corresponding to an operational parameter of the internal combustion engine, a signal generator for generating an interruption signal in accordance with the emitted signal, and a transmitter for transmitting the interruption signal to disrupt an operation of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Vincent C. Hougo, Jack E. White
  • Patent number: 8116965
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for and method of diagnosing whether or not a failure occurs in a variable valve mechanism on the basis of a manipulated variable of an electric actuator. The variable valve mechanism is operated by the electric actuator and varies an open characteristic of an engine valve. The time for determining occurrence of a failure in the electric actuator is changed according to a temperature condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8108127
    Abstract: A robust method, an accordingly designed control device, and an internal combustion engine, enables the proper performance of a tank ventilation device during the operation of the internal combustion engine. For this purpose, the position of a pressure switch of the tank ventilation device is detected, which indicates the pressure present in the tank ventilation device, a controllable tank ventilation valve, which is disposed in a connecting line between a fuel vapor accumulator and an intake pipe of the internal combustion engine, is opened at least partially during the operation of the internal combustion engine, the position of the pressure switch is again detected after opening of the tank ventilation valve, the proper performance of the tank ventilation device; is analyzed based on a comparison of the position of the pressure switch before opening the tank ventilation valve to the position of the pressure switch after opening the tank ventilation valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Grunwald, Oliver Prinz
  • Patent number: 8099225
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injection system having at least one fuel injector, which includes an electrically operable actuator. In order to reduce the hydraulic distances between two injections, a voltage-smoothing or voltage-dampening electric device is connected in parallel to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Kuhnert, Andreas Bartsch, Falco Sengebusch
  • Patent number: 8095291
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a stop/start device, and to a method for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine in such a motor vehicle, wherein the stop/start device is designed to switch off the internal combustion automatically when at least one stop condition is met, wherein the switching off of the internal combustion engine when the stop condition is present does not take place until after a switch off delay time has passed. The control device is designed to prevent, in reaction to a first voice command, the automatic switching off of the internal combustion engine for a predefined time period and/or until a predefined vehicle operating state criterion has been fulfilled irrespective of whether or not the stop condition was already met at the time when the voice command was issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Urs Christen, Rainer Busch, Uwe Gussen, Thomas Rambow, Markus Kees, Armin Mueller-Lerwe
  • Patent number: 8087400
    Abstract: An injection valve has a magnetic actuator and an injector needle able to be moved axially by the magnetic actuator. To meter a fluid by the injection valve the magnetic actuator is activated for an individual metering process with at least one actuation signal with a first or second signal waveform. The two actuation signals differ from one another in that, on activation of the magnetic actuator by the actuation signal with the first signal waveform, less energy is transmitted to a magnet unit of the magnetic actuator than during activation of the magnetic actuator by the actuation signal with the second signal waveform. The magnetic actuator is activated by the actuation signal with the second signal waveform if an activation of the magnetic actuator by the actuation signal with the first signal waveform leads to an undesired premature closure of the injector needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Achleitner, Dirk Baranowski, Franz Kunz
  • Patent number: 8068972
    Abstract: The invention is an abnormal combustion detection method for spark-ignition internal-combustion engines. For each engine cycle, a parameter characterizing a distribution of N combustion indicator values, CA10 for example, acquired over N cycles preceding the cycle in progress, is determined while ignoring extreme values. A threshold is defined from this parameter for the combustion indicator. The start of an abnormal combustion is then detected by comparing the combustion indicator with this threshold and the course of the abnormal combustion detected in the combustion chamber is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: IFP
    Inventors: Dominique Auclair, Laurent Duval, Alexandre Pagot, Benoist Thirouard, Jean-Marc Zaccardi