Vibration, Roughness, Knock Patents (Class 701/111)
  • Patent number: 8041502
    Abstract: The engine misfire detection process according to one aspect of the invention first makes tentative detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in execution of both vibration control and rotation speed control. In response to the tentative detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process subsequently makes final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire. In the event of no final detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process makes tentative detection and final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in prohibition of the vibration control. In the event of still no final detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process makes tentative detection and final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in further prohibition of the rotation speed control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hikokazu Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8041500
    Abstract: Engine surge includes oscillations in engine torque resulting in bucking or jerking motion of a vehicle that may degrade driver experience. The present application relates to increasing reformate entering an example engine cylinder in response to engine surge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas G. Leone
  • Patent number: 8037867
    Abstract: In a method and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine (1), the accuracy of the detection of knocking in an internal combustion engine (1) can be increased by determining a reference ignition advance angle for an actual operating point of the internal combustion engine (1) at which the efficiency of the engine is a maximum. An actual ignition advance angle at which the internal combustion engine (1) is to be operated at the actual operating point is determined. Signals from a knocking sensor (14) are detected, allowing conclusions to be drawn concerning a knocking event in a combustion chamber (30) of the internal combustion engine (1). To detect knocking, only the signal values which lie within a predetermined evaluating interval are used, wherein the position of the evaluating interval is determined depending on the difference between the reference ignition advance angle and the actual ignition advance angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Bauer, Ralf Koch
  • Publication number: 20110246049
    Abstract: When a maximum value of vibration intensity (maximum vibration intensity) (Vmax) acquired from a vibration sensor (33) in a low engine speed/high engine load (operating region (R)) is equal to or greater than a given threshold value (X), a spark timing of a spark plug (16) is shifted from a point set in a normal state on a retard side with respect to a compression top dead center, farther toward the retard side. Then, when a maximum vibration intensity (Vmax2) acquired after the spark timing retard is greater than a maximum vibration intensity (Vmax1) acquired before the spark timing retard, it is determined that preignition occurs. This technique makes it possible to reliably detect preignition using the vibration sensor, while distinguishing the preignition from knocking. An in-cylinder pressure sensor for detecting an in-cylinder pressure of an engine may be used to determine the presence or absence of the preignition, in the same manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoya MATSUO, Koui SHISHIME, Motoo HAYAKAWA, Hiroki MORIMOTO, Mikinori OHASHI
  • Patent number: 8032294
    Abstract: The procedure and device of the present disclosure enable an accurate determination of the composition of the fuel mixture at a self-igniting combustion engine on the basis of present sensor signals. The procedure and device of the present disclosure furthermore enable the detection and compensation of a combustion that is unstable due to the composition of the fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Loeffler, Wolfgang Fischer, Roland Karrelmeyer, Gerald Graf, Daniel Scherrer
  • Patent number: 8032293
    Abstract: In a method for controlling an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel internal combustion engine, at least one variable is formed on a cylinder-specific basis, which variable characterizes a respective profile of a combustion in an associated combustion chamber, and the control of cylinder-specific fuel injection parameters is influenced as a function of said at least one variable which characterizes the combustion profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Daimler A.G.
    Inventors: Simon Binder, Yüriy Bogachik, Alfred Frommelt, Kristina Hellstroem, Frank Kirschbaum, Michael Klier, Lorenzo Matassini, Michael Mladek, Heiko Moeckel-Lherbier, Gerhard Muenkel, Rudiger Pfaff, Karsten Scheible, Martin Schnabel, Jürgen Schorr, Bernd Windisch, Matthias Wolf
  • Patent number: 8027782
    Abstract: A control system includes a jerk determination module and a misfire confirmation module. The jerk determination module determines a jerk of a crankshaft associated with a firing event in an engine. The misfire confirmation module selectively confirms that a misfire detected in the engine is valid based on the jerk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Inventors: Tameem K. Assaf, David S. Mathews, John V Bowman, Sanjeev M. Naik
  • Publication number: 20110231084
    Abstract: A rotational fluctuation malfunction detection device for an internal combustion engine determines that fluctuations in output shaft rotational speed are “normal” when a rotational fluctuation value, obtained in a “disturbance fluctuation state” is below threshold L1. If rotational fluctuation value obtained in “disturbance fluctuation state” equals or exceeds L2, the rotational fluctuation malfunction detection device determines that the rotational fluctuation value is “abnormal.” However, when the rotational fluctuation value obtained in “disturbance fluctuation state” is equal to L1 or between L1 and L2, the rotational fluctuation malfunction detection device determines that the rotational fluctuation value is “normal” if the rotational fluctuation value obtained in the “non-disturbance state” is below L3, and the rotational fluctuation value is “abnormal” if the rotational fluctuation value obtained in the “non-disturbance state” equals or exceeds L3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Nagakura, Yusuke Fujitsu
  • Patent number: 8024107
    Abstract: An ignition timing control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of ensuring both stability of control in a steady operating condition of the engine, and an excellent follow-up property of a controlled variable to a target value in a transient operating condition of the engine, even when the controlled variable contains a lot of high-frequency noise components. In the ignition timing control system, a maximum pressure angle-calculating section calculates a maximum pressure angle based on an in-cylinder pressure and a crank angle position. A target angle-calculating section calculates a target angle. A maximum pressure angle controller calculates a maximum pressure angle correction term with a control algorithm to which is applied a sliding mode control algorithm, using a value obtained by performing ?-filtering on a switching function, such that the maximum pressure angle converges to the target angle. The ignition timing is calculated by adding corrected ignition timing to the value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahide Mizuno, Shusuke Akazaki, Tetsuya Ishiguro
  • Publication number: 20110224889
    Abstract: A knocking control system comprises a knocking determiner device for determining whether or not knocking with a predetermined intensity or higher has occurred in a cylinder of a gas engine in each cycle; an integration variable calculator which adds to an integration variable CT when the knocking determiner device determines that the knocking with the predetermined intensity or higher has occurred, and subtracts from the integration variable CT when the knocking determiner determines that the knocking with the predetermined intensity or higher has not occurred; and a main controller for reducing a power output of the cylinder if the integration variable CT is not less than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsukasa Imamura, Tomohiko Sugimoto, Tetsuo Tokuoka, Hiroyoshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 8014933
    Abstract: The invention deals with a method to determine the fuel composition of a fuel mixture from a first fuel and a second fuel for the operation of an internal combustion engine, wherein the first and the second fuel have different octane numbers and wherein the internal combustion engine has at least one knock sensor and a closed-loop knock control. Provision is made according to the invention for the composition of the fuel mixture to be determined by means of an output signal of the knock sensor. Provision is made in many cases for the knock sensor to already be in the internal combustion engine, so that it does not present any additional expenditure of money or effort. Because the octane number of the fuel mixture is determined by the mixing ratio of the fuels involved, which have different octane numbers, in retrospect the composition of the fuel mixture can be suggested from the signal of the knock sensor under suitable operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Joos, Georg Mallebrein, Federico Buganza, Carlos Koster, Helerson Kemmer, Kai Jakobs, Juergen Pfeiffer, Emilie Hincker-Piocelle, Werner Haeming, Pierre-Yves Crepin
  • Patent number: 8005607
    Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program that includes: calculating a median value and a standard deviation based on a calculated value based on the detected vibration of the engine; and subtracting a product of the standard deviation and a coefficient from the median value to calculate a magnitude of mechanical vibration specific to the engine. Knocking determination is carried out by comparing a knock magnitude calculated by dividing the magnitude value of the peak magnitude of the detected vibration of the engine by the magnitude of mechanical vibration specific to the engine with a predetermined determination value. Based on the knocking determination result, ignition timing of the engine is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Masatomo Yoshihara, Kenji Kasashima, Rihito Kaneko, Koji Aso, Kenji Senda, Yuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe
  • Patent number: 8000884
    Abstract: A device and associated method for controlling ignition timing of an internal combustion engine are provided. By comparing a determination value and knock magnitude, determination of knocking is made, and ignition timing is advanced or retarded. The device includes an operation unit that sets a correction amount of the determination value to a value corresponding to a degree of change of the determination value over time. The operation unit calculates, at a first timing, a first value related to an average value of the determination values; and calculates, at a second timing later than the first timing, a second value related to the average value of the determination values. The degree of change of the determination value is calculated as a difference between the first value and the second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Aso, Kenji Kasashima, Rihito Kaneko, Masatomo Yoshihara, Kenji Senda, Yuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe
  • Patent number: 7996142
    Abstract: A combustion control system includes a magnetic torque sensor disposed between an engine and a load. The magnetic torque sensor is configured to directly measure engine torque and output a torque signal indicative of the engine torque. A control unit is communicatively coupled to the magnetic torque sensor. The control unit is configured to receive the torque signal and determine one or more combustion parameters based on the torque signal. The control unit is also configured to control one or more manipulating parameters of the engine based on the one or more combustion parameters so as to control combustion in the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christof Martin Sihler, Georgios Bikas, Herbert Kopecek
  • Patent number: 7991541
    Abstract: In a method for improving the running smoothness of an internal combustion engine (1) which has at least one combustion chamber and at least one controllable actuator whose position has an influence on the combustion in the at least one combustion chamber, an irregular running value (f) of the internal combustion engine (1) is determined and compared with a predefined first irregular running limit value (f1thres), and in the event of the irregular running value (f) exceeding a predefined first irregular running limit value (f1thres), the actuator is moved from a starting position into an end position while the combustion in all of the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine (1) is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Timo Heider, Wolfgang Krostewitz, Wolfgang Ludwig
  • Patent number: 7974747
    Abstract: When a system stop instruction is issued in the middle of the operation of an engine to stop the engine, the engagement of the gears in a gear mechanism is pressed toward one side. After the engine has stopped, a torque command for a motor connected to a drive shaft is gradually reduced. When the torque command decreases below a threshold value, the system is stopped. In this way, it is possible to prevent generation of vibration of the drive shaft when the system is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichiro Muta
  • Patent number: 7974768
    Abstract: (EN) The invention concerns a device for controlling an internal combustion engine (601), comprising means (600) for generating a signal for controlling the internal combustion engine (601), a sensor (602) for supplying a pressure measurement signal of a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine (601), and a filtering device (603) for generating a filtered pressure signal, said filtering device (603) being made from analog electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Lionel Cordesses, Didier Martinez
  • Patent number: 7974769
    Abstract: A system adapted for counteracting engine produced vibratory forces and isolating the forces from a body, includes active engine mounts, force or acceleration sensors, and a controller communicatively coupled to the mounts and sensors, and configured to execute an integrated open and closed-loop control method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Kwang-Keun Shin
  • Publication number: 20110153182
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine knock determining device includes a vibration detector that produces a signal corresponding to engine vibration, an intensity computing unit that retrieves vibrational components in a plurality of frequency regions in which vibration intensity peaks are located when knock occurs, a background-noise computing unit that calculates background noise caused by factors other than knock, a frequency computing unit that determines specific frequency regions from which to determine whether knock is occurring by excluding certain frequency regions designated as frequency regions requiring exclusion due to the intensity of false-detection causing noise as a proportion of the background noise in the certain regions, and a knock determining unit that determines the occurrence of knock based on the vibration intensity in the specific frequency regions obtained by excluding the frequency regions requiring exclusion, wherein the number of specific frequency regions is increased to improve the ac
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji SASAKI
  • Patent number: 7963269
    Abstract: A 90° integrated value calculating unit of an engine ECU calculates a 90° integrated value obtained by integrating a magnitude. A calculating unit calculates a knock magnitude by dividing 90° integrated value by a BGL. A value obtained by subtracting a standard deviation ? from a median value of 90° integrated value is determined as the BGL. An ignition timing control unit controls the ignition timing depending on whether knock magnitude is equal to or larger than a determination value. A median value calculating unit calculates median value of 90° integrated value. A standard deviation calculating unit calculates standard deviation of 90° integrated value. A first stop unit stops updating of median value and standard deviation when 90° integrated value is smaller than a first threshold value or is equal to or larger than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Rihito Kaneko, Hiroto Tanaka, Satoshi Watanabe, Norihito Hanai, Yasuhiro Yamasako, Kenji Senda, Satoshi Masuda
  • Publication number: 20110144893
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for mitigating engine pre-ignition based on a feed-forward likelihood of pre-ignition and feedback from a pre-ignition event. In response to an indication of pre-ignition, a cylinder may be enriched while an engine load is limited. The enrichment may be followed by an enleanment to restore exhaust catalyst feed-gas oxygen levels. The mitigating steps may be adjusted based on engine operating conditions, a pre-ignition count, as well as the nature of the pre-ignition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, Chris Paul Glugla, Robert Roy Jentz, Robert Sarow Baskins, Karen Willard
  • Patent number: 7957889
    Abstract: The invention relates to balancing the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. The invention comprises cylinder-specific pressure sensors (1) installed in the cylinders of an internal combustion engine for measuring the cylinder pressures as well as an adjustment unit (2). The adjustment unit is arranged to determine the maximum pressure and knock value of each cylinder as well as the mean maximum pressure of the cylinders as a response to the measurements of cylinder pressures and to determine the differences between the maximum pressure of each cylinder and the mean maximum pressure. The differences are compared to a certain deviation range of the mean maximum pressure and the knock value to a certain knock limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Wartsila Finland Oy
    Inventors: Kaj Portin, Jenny Hellén
  • Patent number: 7949461
    Abstract: In a motor vehicle with idle stop function, upon satisfaction of preset engine restart conditions (step S205), automatic engine restart control refers to a preset map representing a variation in amount of fuel Q1, which is to be initially injected into a cylinder Cyin stopping in an intake stroke, against the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin, and specifies the amount of fuel Q1 corresponding to the detected piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin (step S220). The automatic engine restart control then controls an injector to inject the specified amount of fuel Q1 into an intake port of the cylinder Cyin (step S230). Under the condition that the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin suggests low gas intake performance, the increased amount of fuel Q1 is injected into the intake port of the cylinder Cyin. This arrangement desirably reduces a misfire rate at the timing of first combustion and thereby improves the startability of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Shigenori Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110118960
    Abstract: A knocking detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which can more accurately perform the knocking determination based on frequency components of the output signal of the knock sensor, is provided. A frequency spectrum analysis of the knock sensor output signal is performed at predetermined angular intervals of the crankshaft rotation angle. Intensities of a plurality of frequency components obtained by the frequency spectrum analysis are stored as time series data. The time series data of the frequency component intensity are binarized, and it is determined whether or not a knocking has occurred based on the binarized time series data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Komatsu, Jiro Takagi, Atsushi Kurauchi, Masayuki Yoshiri, Kazuhiko Hirota, Natsuko Kitamura, Yoshiaki Akimoto
  • Patent number: 7945379
    Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program including the steps of: calculating a coefficient of correlation K in accordance with a result of comparing a waveform of a vibration of a frequency band including a resonance frequency of an engine with a knock waveform model previously created as a waveform of a vibration caused when the engine knocks; calculating a knock intensity N from an intensity of a vibration of a frequency band excluding the resonance frequency of the engine; if knock intensity N is larger than a reference value and coefficient of correlation K is larger than a threshold value, determining that the engine knocks; and if knock intensity N is smaller than the reference value and/or coefficient of correlation K is smaller than the threshold value, determining that the engine does not knock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rihito Kaneko, Kenji Kasashima, Masatomo Yoshihara, Kenji Senda, Norihito Hanai, Yuuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe
  • Patent number: 7942229
    Abstract: A vibration damper includes a hub, a first mass, a first resilient coupling, a second mass, and a second resilient coupling. The first mass is disposed concentrically about the hub. The first resilient coupling resiliently couples the first mass to the hub. The first resilient coupling has a first spring constant. The second mass is disposed concentrically about the first mass. The second resilient coupling resiliently couples the second mass directly to the first mass. The second resilient coupling has a second spring constant that is less than the first spring constant. The first mass and the first resilient coupling are configured to attenuate vibration at a first frequency. The second mass and the second resilient coupling are configured to attenuate vibration at a second frequency. The second frequency is lower than the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Steyer, Zhaohui Sun, David P Schankin
  • Patent number: 7941265
    Abstract: A system includes a fuel detection module, a misfire detection module, and a fuel control module. The fuel detection module detects when a fuel supplied to an engine having C cylinders has a high drivability index (HIDI), where C is an integer greater than 1. The misfire detection module detects whether M of the C cylinders misfire when the fuel has the HIDI, where M is an integer, and 1?M<C. The fuel control module injects a first amount of the fuel into the M of the C cylinders when M is less than or equal to D, where D is an integer less than C, and where the first amount is greater than a first predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventors: Jon C. Miller, David S. Mathews, Mark D. Carr, Ian J. MacEwen
  • Publication number: 20110106405
    Abstract: A method and control module includes a manifold absolute pressure comparison module that determines a function of the manifold absolute pressure and an average manifold absolute pressure for a plurality of cylinders and that compares the manifold absolute pressure parameter to a manifold absolute pressure threshold. The control module includes a misfire event module that compares the misfire parameter to a misfire threshold. A hardware remedy module performs a valve actuation hardware remedy in response to comparing the manifold absolute pressure and comparing the misfire parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Dulzo, Joshua D. Cowgill, Andrew P. Bagnasco
  • Publication number: 20110106412
    Abstract: A control module and method for controlling an engine operation includes a runtime module that determines a previous run period, a fuel mass module that determines a fuel mass during the previous run period, a spark fouling condition estimation module that determines a spark fouling condition based on the fuel mass during the previous run period and an engine operation module that controls the engine in response to the spark fouling condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Qi Ma, Dean Raymond Kwapis, Joseph Duarte
  • Patent number: 7937206
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling autoignition of a fuel mixture, notably for a diesel type internal-combustion engine, according to which a fuel mixture is made in at least one combustion chamber (14) of the engine with a fuel and at least one fluid in order to obtain a homogeneous type combustion by autoignition. The method includes defining a desired combustion progress by autoignition of the fuel mixture, and adjusting the cetane number of the fuel used for the mixture to that of the fuel providing the desired combustion progress is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Laurent Forti, Nicolas Jeuland, Bertrand Lecointe, Xavier Montagne
  • Patent number: 7933713
    Abstract: A method for supplying two types of fuel to an engine of a vehicle is disclosed. In one embodiment, an amount of a first fuel supplied to the engine is adjusted in response to a condition of a fuel separator. The method can improve vehicle drivability at least during some conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas G. Leone
  • Publication number: 20110093186
    Abstract: Control apparatus for an internal combustion engine including: a second knock detection unit for detecting occurrence of a second knock due to an effective compression ratio when ignition timing is on a retard side of a predetermined value in the case where a first knock is detected; a second knock suppression unit for suppressing the second knock when the second knock is detected; a first abnormal ignition detection means for detecting occurrence of first abnormal ignition due to the pre-ignition or the post-ignition when a knock intensity of the second knock is equal to or larger than a predetermined value; and a first abnormal ignition suppression unit for suppressing the first abnormal ignition by performing fuel control for the internal combustion engine when the first abnormal ignition is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki HAGARI, Tomokazu MAKINO, Keitaro EZUMI, Tomokuni KUSUNOKI
  • Publication number: 20110087423
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a power supply module, a measurement module, and a calibration module. The power supply module disables power supplied to N components of an engine when M cylinders of the engine are deactivated, wherein M and N are integers greater than or equal to one. The measurement module measures outputs of the N engine components. The calibration module calibrates the measurement module based on unpowered measurements from one or more of the N engine components during a period after the power supplied to the N components is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Mike M. Mc Donald
  • Publication number: 20110077846
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a heat-release rate (HRR) module, a first filter module, a second filter module, an auto-ignition energy determination module, and a corrective action module. The HRR module generates an HRR signal based on in-cylinder pressures of a cylinder of the engine. The first filter module generates a first filtered HRR signal indicative of a first HRR due to combustion in the cylinder by filtering the HRR signal. The second filter module generates a second filtered HRR signal indicative of a second HRR due to auto-ignition in the cylinder by filtering one of the HRR signal and the first filtered HRR signal. The auto-ignition energy determination module determines an auto-ignition energy of the cylinder based on the first and second filtered HRR signals. The corrective action module selectively adjusts auto-ignition of the engine based on the auto-ignition energy. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jose C. Zavala Jurado, Charles H. Folkerts, Karl T. Kiebel
  • Publication number: 20110066358
    Abstract: A control system includes a jerk determination module and a misfire confirmation module. The jerk determination module determines a jerk of a crankshaft associated with a firing event in an engine. The misfire confirmation module selectively confirms that a misfire detected in the engine is valid based on the jerk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Tameem K. Assaf, David S. Mathews, John V. Bowman, Sanjeev M. Naik
  • Patent number: 7899607
    Abstract: An open-loop control system that provides control signals to active engine mounts to reduce or eliminate the transfer of engine vibration to a vehicle body structure, where the system uses only a crank signal from the engine as an input. The control system includes an instant crank speed variation sensing processor that receives the crank signal from the engine, where the crank signal is a pulsed signal including missing pulses as a result of teeth missing on the vehicle crank wheel. The crank speed variation sensing processor provides a measurement of the instant crank speed variation of the crank signal and minimizes an error in the measurement as a result of the missing pulses. The crank speed variation sensing processor outputs a crank speed sensing variation signal as a sine wave that identifies order content in the crank pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kwang-Keun Shin, David J. Verbrugge
  • Patent number: 7899608
    Abstract: A method of identifying misfires in an engine including: running the engine; measuring the pressure pulses from the exhaust; generating a waveform from the measured pulses; dividing the waveform into segments; associating each waveform segment with the cylinder which generated the pulse; and examining each segment for features which indicate a misfire. Also disclosed is methodology for checking the performance of an engine including cam timing and identifying the probable cause(s) of misfires. This includes generating a cylinder pressure waveform from the measured pressure changes in a cylinder and analyzing the magnitude and timing of at least one of the pressure changes in such cylinder. Further disclosed is methodology for analyzing the pressure changes in the engine's intake manifold and in the crankcase. Finally, additional diagnostic procedures are disclosed for: checking the ignition timing of an engine; and using the apparatus and methods with additional instrumentation including gas analyzers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Inventors: Neal R. Pederson, Bernie C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7891332
    Abstract: A method of generating a crankshaft synchronized sine wave signal for an internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes the steps of: A) sensing an observed crankshaft angle of the crankshaft; B) using a dynamic observer to generate an estimated crankshaft angle from said observed crankshaft angle; and C) generating the crankshaft synchronized sine wave signal as a function of the estimated crankshaft angle. The crankshaft synchronized sine wave signal is preferable output to at least one of an active vibration control system and an active noise control system. An apparatus for generating a crankshaft synchronized sine wave for an internal combustion engine according to the method of the present invention is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kwang-Keun Shin, David J. Verbrugge
  • Patent number: 7881855
    Abstract: A method and control unit for metering fuel into at least one combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprising at least one pilot injection and one main injection per combustion cycle, combustion features being detected and an effect of a fuel quantity injected prior to the main injection being ascertained from the combustion features. An actual value of a combined effect of at least two pilot injections per combustion cycle is ascertained and the actual value is regulated to a setpoint value via an intervention on at least one of the pilot injections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Damitz, Matthias Schueler, Christian Mader, Michael Kessler, Vincent Dautel, Arvid Sievert
  • Patent number: 7877191
    Abstract: A process for controlling supplying fuel for an internal combustion engine, employed when the engine is started, including: measuring at least one characteristic value of an engine speed representative of a richness of a fuel/oxidant supply mixture for the engine, comparing the measured characteristic value with a reference value so as to determine a value of the difference between these two values, and controlling the supply unit using a control signal emitted by a control unit (3) and dependent on the difference value. The process also includes an updating step of producing an updated reference value (21), when an aging threshold of the engine is passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventor: Thibault Kein
  • Patent number: 7877192
    Abstract: A rotational speed parameter is detected in accordance with a rotational speed of the engine. A reference value of the rotational speed parameter is calculated. For each cylinder, an error between the reference value and the rotational speed parameter detected every predetermined crank angle is calculated as a relative speed parameter. For each cylinder, an integrated value is calculated by integrating the relative speed parameters over a predetermined period. For each cylinder, an average value per cylinder of the sum of the integrated values of all the cylinders is calculated. For each cylinder, an error between the integrated value of the cylinder and the average value is calculated. For each cylinder, the output of the engine is controlled in accordance with the error calculated for the cylinder such that variations in the output between the cylinders are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mahito Shikama, Toshinori Tsukamoto, Hiroyuki Ando, Hideharu Takamiya, Toshifumi Hiraboshi
  • Patent number: 7869931
    Abstract: When an engine torque trace is set during acceleration or deceleration, the ratio of increase or decrease in the engine torque per unit time is restricted so that when the engine torque generated during acceleration or deceleration approaches an engine torque (balance torque) at which the engine is oriented upright with respect to the engine mount, the engine torque stays near the balance torque for a prescribed time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Satou, Hitoshi Konno, Mamoru Nemoto
  • Patent number: 7860638
    Abstract: A method for determining fuel injection pressure or detecting a discrepancy in the fuel injection process of an internal combustion engine is provided. The engine includes a camshaft that actuates at least one fuel injector of the engine's fuel injection equipment. The method includes the step of determining a value T that is representative of the torque generated on the camshaft, such as the instantaneous torque or rotational speed of the camshaft, the torque being a resultant of accelerating and decelerating forces exerted on the camshaft by the at least one fuel injector during a phase of operation of the internal combustion engine. The method also includes the step of monitoring the value T for any increment, decrement or irregularity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Magnus Andrén
  • Patent number: 7856308
    Abstract: A knock detection apparatus for an internal combustion engine can accurately detect the occurrence of a knock without an influence of a noise component even if the noise component having the same frequency as a knock vibration superposes on an ionic current signal. The apparatus includes an ionic current detection section, a knock signal detection section for detecting a knock signal based on an ionic current, a crank angle sensor for detecting a crank angle corresponding to a rotational position of the engine, a window setting section for setting a noise detection window, a noise component detection section for detecting a noise component in the window, and a knock determination section for determining the occurrence of a knock based on a relation between the noise component and the knock signal. The window setting section sets the window after a predetermined crank angle corresponding to an end of a combustion stroke of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Inada, Kimihiko Tanaya
  • Publication number: 20100318249
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle 20, an engine 22, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled so that vibration due to torque ripple arising in a crank shaft 26 is reduced by torque for a vibration control from the motor MG1 and torque demand Tr* is output to a ring gear shaft 32a when an ECO switch 88 is turned off during a start of an engine 22. When the ECO switch 88 is turned on during the start of an engine 22, the engine 22, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled so that the torque for a vibration control from the motor MG1 becomes value “0” and the torque demand Tr* is output to the ring gear shaft 32a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiko Jinno, Tadashi Nakagawa, Masahiko Maeda, Hideaki Yaguchi
  • Patent number: 7853400
    Abstract: A knock control apparatus includes: a knock sensor for detecting knock of an internal combustion engine; a signal processing section for calculating a knock intensity; and knock determination level setting sections: for calculating an average value of the knock intensity; for calculating, based on the average value, an overall variance of the knock intensity of an entirety of a frequency distribution, a higher variance of the knock intensity above the average value, and a lower variance of the knock intensity below the average value; for calculating a standard deviation of the knock intensity from the overall variance; for presetting a value allowing the frequency distribution of the knock intensity to be a predetermined confidence interval as a confidence coefficient; and for setting a sum of the average value and a value obtained by multiplying the standard deviation by the corrected confidence coefficient as a knock determination level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Matsushima, Hideki Hagari, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 7853393
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine with several cylinders, at least one cylinder is configured as a reference cylinder to which an active cylinder pressure sensor is allocated. A passive cylinder pressure sensor is allocated to each of the remaining cylinders. At least one actuating member is assigned to the cylinders. A crankshaft angle sensor is provided. During the quasi-stationary operating mode, the cylinder segment durations are equated, by an actuating member engaging in at least one actuating signal allocated to the respective cylinder. Furthermore, during the quasi-stationary operating mode, the measuring signal of the active sensor is allocated to the respective measuring signals of the passive sensors. As a result, the signal processing of the measuring signals of the passive sensors is adjusted depending on the respective measuring signals of the passive sensors captured during the quasi-stationary operating mode and on the allocated measuring signal of the active sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kettl, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7853433
    Abstract: The detection of combustion anomalies within a gas turbine engine is provided. A sensor associated with a combustor of the engine measures a signal that is representative of combustion conditions. A sampled dynamic signal is divided into time segments to derive a plurality of data points. The sampled dynamic signal is transformed to a form that enables detection of whether the sensed combustion conditions within the combustor are indicative of any combustion anomalies of interest. A wavelet transform is performed to calculate wavelet coefficients for the data points and at least one region of interest is targeted. The amplitude of each wavelet coefficient within each targeted region is normalized by a baseline signal. The normalized amplitudes of the wavelet coefficients are used to determine whether any combustion anomalies have occurred by comparing the normalized amplitudes of the wavelet coefficients within each target region to a predetermined threshold amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Chengli He, Yanxia Sun, Upul P. Desilva
  • Patent number: 7848875
    Abstract: A first ignition cylinder that performs ignition first is set based on an engine stop position in automatic start. Existence/nonexistence of a misfire in the first ignition cylinder is determined based on whether a difference ?Ne between engine rotation speed at a predetermined crank angle in an interval from timing immediately before the ignition to timing immediately after the ignition of the first ignition cylinder (e.g., at TDC of first ignition cylinder) and engine rotation speed at a predetermined crank angle before ignition of a second ignition cylinder (e.g., at TDC of second ignition cylinder) is equal to or smaller than a predetermined misfire determination threshold value Nef. When misfire time number of the first ignition cylinder exceeds a predetermined value, fuel supply to the first ignition cylinder is prohibited and the automatic start is started from the second ignition cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Nakai
  • Publication number: 20100305837
    Abstract: An engine damping system is disclosed. The engine damping system includes an actuating device that is hydraulically powered using a power steering system of a motor vehicle. The system also includes a steering position sensor to determine a steering mode of the motor vehicle. The system also includes an acceleration sensor to provide controlled feedback for the actuating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Charles J. Gagliano