With Oxygen Sensor Patents (Class 73/114.73)
  • Patent number: 11946888
    Abstract: A thermal sensor device is configured to determine a fluid parameter of a fluid based on the heat transfer behavior of the fluid. The sensor device comprises one or more heaters and means for determining a response of the sensor device to heater power being supplied to the heaters. For detecting sensor faults, the sensor device is operated in two different modes of operation. First and second values (cstatic, cdynamic) of the same fluid parameter are determined in the two modes. A fault indicator value (F) is derived by comparing the first and second values. The first mode of operation may be a steady-state mode, the first value (cstatic) being based on a steady-state response of the sensor device to heater power being supplied to the heaters, and the second mode of operation may be a dynamic mode, the second value (cstatic) being based on a transient response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Eric Monnin, David Kiliani, Andreas Rüegg, Mark Hornung
  • Patent number: 11655749
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and vehicles that control the temperature of a device included in the vehicle are presented herein. The temperature of the device is controlled by ventilating the device with drivetrain air, such as transmission cooling air. In some embodiments, the device is at a greater temperature than the drivetrain air, which cools the device. In other embodiments, the device is at a lesser temperature than the drivetrain air, which heats the device. The drivetrain air is provided to the device through an exhaust duct coupled to the vehicle's transmission. The drivetrain exhaust air is preferably circulated by the transmission. The transmission may be a continuously variable transmission. The device may be an oxygen sensor that is coupled to an engine exhaust pipe. The oxygen sensor is thermally coupled to the engine exhaust and the engine exhaust pipe, which are at greater temperatures than the transmission exhaust air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne L. Minnichsoffer, Jeremy B. Parsons
  • Patent number: 11384676
    Abstract: A method for the onboard diagnosis in a vehicle having a catalytic convertor and a lambda-controlled internal combustion engine in the running operation of the vehicle, includes determining the currently maximum possible oxygen storage capacity of the catalytic convertor as well as a measured temporal duration between the lean spike of the pre-catalyst lambda probe and the post-catalyst lambda probe takes place by means of an OSC diagnosis. The method also includes determining a theoretical residual oxygen content and determining a theoretical temporal duration. When the quotient between the measured temporal duration (?t) and the theoretical temporal duration (?ttheo) lies within a predefined range delimited by a first and a second threshold value (SW1; SW2), thus: SW ? ? 1 ? ? ? ? t ? ? ? t theo ? SW ? ? 2 , it is determined that the pre-catalyst lambda probe and the post-catalyst lambda probe operate without flaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Sebastian Grasreiner
  • Patent number: 11255247
    Abstract: A sensor including a sensor element, a metallic shell, a terminal fitting, a cylindrical case, lead wires, a connector portion, and a cylindrical heat shield tube. The heat shield tube includes a first tube and a second tube. The second tube is disposed on a distal end side of the first tube and covers an outer surface of the rear end side of the case, while providing an overlapping portion that overlaps the first tube. A rear end side of the first tube is adjacent to the connector portion. A total length T of the heat shield tube and a length S of the overlapping portion satisfy T/10?S?T/5. Further, a length L1 of the first tube and a length L2 of the second tube satisfy T/2?L2<L1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kouji Ogawa, Ayaka Ota, Hideya Inukai, Yasuhiro Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 11225896
    Abstract: A degradation diagnosis device includes a downstream air-fuel ratio sensor and a control device. The control device is configured to perform a rich process and a lean process alternately and repeatedly in a degradation diagnosis process for diagnosing degradation of the exhaust gas control catalyst. The control device is configured to, in the degradation diagnosis process, determine that the exhaust gas control catalyst has been degraded when the lean process is executed and the frequency with which an output air-fuel ratio of the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor is equal to the lean air-fuel ratio is equal to or more than a predetermined frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihisa Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10690580
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting particles, in particular, soot particles, is described. The sensor includes a sensor element having at least two measuring electrodes, which are situated on a carrier substrate, and a protective tube assembly having at least one outer protective tube and one inner protective tube. The sensor element is situated in the inner protective tube in a longitudinal extension direction. The outer protective tube and the inner protective tube are designed to permit the particles to access the sensor element in a direction deviating from the longitudinal extension direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andy Tiefenbach, Christopher Holzknecht, Enno Baars, Frank Freikamp, Michael Bessen
  • Patent number: 10585061
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensing element that includes an electrode pad, a metal terminal, and a separator. The metal terminal includes a lead-wire-connecting portion, a main body, a protruding piece that protrudes from a front-end side, and an elastic portion connected to an end of the protruding piece and to the electrode pad. An area S1 of a first opposed surface of a primary surface facing an insertion hole of the separator is larger than an area S2 of a second opposed surface of a secondary surface facing the insertion hole, and a part of the second opposed surface contacts an inner circumferential surface of the separator forming the insertion hole, and the first opposed surface is separated from the inner circumferential surface, where surfaces of the main body and the protruding piece that are located opposite the elastic portion are the primary surface and the secondary surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Oba, Shogo Nagata, Shunya Mihara
  • Patent number: 10344697
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a humidity sensor that is disposed in an intake passage of the internal combustion engine, a temperature sensor configured to detect an intake air temperature in a position of the humidity sensor, and a controller configured to correct an offset error of the sensor value by adding a correction value to the sensor value. The controller is configured to acquire the intake air temperatures respectively at a plurality of timings in a process of the intake air temperature changing, acquire the sensor values at the respective plurality of timings, calculate values excluding influences of temperature differences of the intake air temperatures from the respective sensor values as humidity index values respectively, and determine a correction value so that a variation degree of the humidity index values becomes small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hironori Ito
  • Patent number: 10283903
    Abstract: Provided are a receptacle connector and a connector with simple structures, which include an added function such as a waterproofing function. The receptacle connector includes: a signal terminal that transmits signals between a plug connector side and an electronic substrate side in an extension direction; an insulating holder that has a circular column shape extending in the extension direction and that holds the signal terminal by being penetrated thereby; a conductive first shell in the form of a tube that covers the outer circumference in the radial direction, which is orthogonal to the extension direction of the holder; a non-conductive connector case having a cylindrical space that contains the first shell and extends in the extension direction; an inner seal member that seals the inner portion of the first shell in the extension direction; and an outer seal member that seals the inner portion of the cylindrical space in the extension direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: HOSIDEN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10139359
    Abstract: In a sensor control apparatus of a gas detection system, a multiplexer having received an instruction from a digital computation section outputs analog signals in the order of, for example, “signal 1, signal 2, signal 1, signal 3, signal 1, signal 4.” By outputting the analog signals while classifying each of them as a high occurrence-frequency signal which is high in output frequency or a low occurrence-frequency signal which is low in output frequency, the multiplexer can increase the sampling frequency of signal (analog signal of Vs+-COM voltage) which is the high occurrence-frequency signal. The sensor control apparatus can increase the sampling frequency in AD conversion of signal to a digital value, while suppressing an increase in the cost of an AD conversion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuzo Higuchi, Tomonori Uemura
  • Patent number: 10100770
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing an onboard cylinder leakdown test in response to an indication of cylinder misfire. In one example, following an engine-off event and an engine temperature above a threshold, fuel is injected into the indicated cylinder under conditions wherein the cylinder is expected to be sealed, and the detection of hydrocarbon migration out of the cylinder indicates cylinder degradation. In this way, cylinder degradation may be accurately diagnosed without intrusive, time consuming, and difficult off-board cylinder leakdown tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 10060831
    Abstract: A method for assessing whether or not the character of a value, measured by a sensor, of a physical parameter of a device is normal. The method includes implementing steps of calculating, on the basis of a regression model associated with the plurality of pairs, an estimated value of the physical parameter; calculating a related remainder calculating, on the basis of a variance model related to the plurality of pairs, an estimated value of a variance in the physical parameter; calculating an anomaly score of the measured value on the basis of the remainder, calculating the estimated value of the variance, and calculating a mean remainder value for the plurality of pairs; comparing the anomaly score of the measured value with a standard deviation threshold; and if the anomaly score is greater than the threshold, identifying the measurement as abnormal on the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Aurelie Gouby, Valerio Gerez
  • Patent number: 10018133
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining when one or more cylinders of an engine may be deactivated are presented. In one example, different cylinder deactivation strategies are used to determine which engine cylinders are deactivated during an engine cycle in response to an actual total number of valve actuator state changes being greater than a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas G. Leone
  • Patent number: 9976980
    Abstract: A sensor device includes: a housing body delimiting within the housing body: a flow duct, and a bypass that branches off from the flow duct at a branching point, the bypass having a wall with an opening; and a sensor element configured to detect a gas content, the sensor element being arranged in the opening. The sensor element has: a sensor body having a longitudinal axis, an electrode chamber within the sensor body, a heating element embedded in the sensor body and by which a predefined region around the electrode chamber is heatable to a predefined operating temperature, an inlet duct coupled to the electrode chamber and having an inlet on the surface of the sensor body, and a thermal insulation sleeve on the sensor body, the thermal insulation sleeve extending at least axially in the direction of the longitudinal axis over a region of the electrode chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Ante, Philippe Grass
  • Patent number: 9933389
    Abstract: A sensor control apparatus of a gas detection system includes a digital computation section having a PID computation section, a first filter section, and a second filter section as functional sections. The first filter section digitally extracts a DAC control signal (first filter signal) from a digital signal representing a supply control current Tip computed by the PID computation section. The DAC control signal is a digital signal which represents the supply control current Tip for pump current and in which noise components superimposed as a result of digital computation in the PID computation section have been attenuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuzo Higuchi, Tomonori Uemura
  • Patent number: 9752958
    Abstract: A load drive apparatus (1) includes a pulse drive circuit (51) which applies a pulse voltage PS to a resistive load (4); current detection means (S14) for detecting the current flowing to the resistive load (4) through the pulse drive circuit (51); level detection means (S1, S7) for determining whether an output terminal voltage VD of the pulse drive circuit (51) is a high potential level or a low potential level; anomaly detection means (S8, S9, S18) for detecting a wire breakage anomaly, a short-to-power anomaly, and a short-to-ground anomaly based on the level of the output terminal voltage VD detected by the level detection means (S1, S7) and the current detected by the current detection means (S14), when the pulse drive circuit 51 is turned on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsunori Yazawa, Yoshinori Inoue
  • Patent number: 9500151
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on shape of a distribution of extreme values of a plurality of sets of lambda differentials collected during selected operating conditions. In this way, the exhaust gas sensor may be monitored in a non-intrusive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hassene Jammoussi, Imad Hassan Makki, Adam Nathan Banker, Michael Casedy
  • Patent number: 9234869
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust gas probe (120) for measuring properties of the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines, wherein at least one data storage unit (135) is arranged in a circuit associated with the probe, in particular arranged in a probe plug (130) or a connecting element associated therewith. The following properties and/or adaption functions characterizing the probe (120) are stored or storable in said data storage unit: —fluctuations of heating resistances that are due to the production process and/or—parameters that characterize the aging of the probe (120), and/or—the shut-off state, in particular data that characterize the execution of an interval measurement for regenerating the exhaust gas probe or of a delayed shut-off and/or—data for adapting the probe (120) to different control devices (140) of internal combustion engines and/or—the number of operating hours of the probe and/or—the operating parameters of the probe in a previous specifiable time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Schneider, Frank Stanglmeier, Marc Rosenland, Lothar Diehl
  • Publication number: 20150068195
    Abstract: An exhaust gas retreatment system of an internal combustion engine includes a particle filter; and a sensor positioned, in a flow direction of the exhaust gas, downstream of the particle filter. The sensor is configured to measure the oxygen content and/or the NOx content in the exhaust gas downstream of the particle filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Peter LAUER, Andreas DÖRING
  • Patent number: 8966966
    Abstract: In a method and a device for identifying the fuel quality in a fuel tank of an internal combustion engine, a reference volume with fuel is provided, which does not intermix with the fuel in the fuel tank when the fuel tank is refilled. After startup of the internal combustion engine, fuel from the fuel tank and from the reference volume is sequentially sucked into the internal combustion engine and parameters which depend from the fuel quality of the sucked-in fuel are measured and evaluated for both the fuel tank and the reference volume. If the parameter differ from one another, it can be concluded that the fuel quality of the fuel in the fuel tank before startup of the internal combustion engine has changed. A quantity (fuel factor) can then be taken into consideration in the mixture pre-control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Jörg Ballauf
  • Patent number: 8959988
    Abstract: In an oxygen sensor control apparatus, a CPU obtains a correction coefficient for calibrating the relation between output value of an oxygen sensor and oxygen concentration when a fuel cut operation is performed. When the amount of scavenging air (total supply amount of air) becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount in each fuel cut period, the CPU calculates an average output value Ipav from a plurality of output values (concentration corresponding values) Ipr of the oxygen sensor, from which values deviating from a predetermined range R1 have been removed. Subsequently, the CPU averages the values obtained in a plurality of fuel cut periods to thereby obtain a plural-time average output value Ipavf. The CPU obtains a correction coefficient for correcting the actual output value Ip of the oxygen sensor 20 on the basis of the Ipavf value and a previously set reference output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inagaki, Kentaro Mori
  • Patent number: 8959987
    Abstract: A method of determining an air:fuel ratio of a combustion process based on information from an oxygen sensor exposed to exhaust gases of the combustion process. A first value is determined indicative of the exhaust gas oxygen content, with the value being based on a resistance of an oxygen sensing portion of the oxygen sensor. A second value is determined indicative of a temperature of the oxygen sensor, which may be based on a resistance of a heater portion of the oxygen sensor. A third value is determined indicative of the air:fuel ratio as a function of the first and second values. Thus, the oxygen level data from the oxygen sensor may be temperature compensated so as to result in a more accurate estimate of the air:fuel ratio. The third value may then be used to control the combustion process, which may be associated with an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kerdea Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Ervin Fosaaen
  • Publication number: 20150047424
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor pressure compensation system includes a static pressure compensation module to receive an oxygen sensor signal from an oxygen sensor and a pressure signal from a pressure sensor and to perform static pressure compensation. A dynamic pressure compensation module receives the oxygen sensor signal and the pressure signal and to perform dynamic pressure compensation. A summing module generates a compensated oxygen signal based on the static pressure compensation and the dynamic pressure compensation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: B. Jerry Song
  • Patent number: 8958974
    Abstract: A method of monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust is provided. The method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on a difference between a first set of estimated parameters of a rich operation model and a second set of estimated parameters of a lean operation model, the estimated parameters based on commanded lambda and determined lambda values collected during selected operating conditions. In this way, sensor degradation may be indicated with data collected in a non-intrusive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Imad Hassan Makki, James Michael Kerns, Michael Casedy, Hassene Jammoussi
  • Patent number: 8943800
    Abstract: When an internal combustion engine (1) is determined to be in a low-temperature start state (an affirmative determination is made in S120), an air-fuel ratio control apparatus (10) controls the temperature of a downstream detection element (17) of a downstream gas sensor (15) to a downstream target temperature by driving a downstream heater (16) of the downstream gas sensor (15) (S170), and feedback-controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas based on the output of the downstream gas sensor (15) (S190). When the engine (1) is determined not to be in the low-temperature start state (a negative determination is made in S120), the air-fuel ratio control apparatus (10) drives an upstream heater (25) of an upstream gas sensor (22) and feedback-controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas based on the output of the upstream gas sensor (22) (S270).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Umemoto, Shuichi Hanai, Koji Nagura
  • Patent number: 8943799
    Abstract: In a control device for an internal combustion engine including an air-fuel ratio sensor that includes a catalyst layer that covers an exhaust gas-side electrode, an oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst layer is acquired based on a sensor output of the air-fuel ratio sensor. The sensor output is corrected if the oxygen storage capacity is higher than a predetermined value and the sensor output is in a predetermined range in the vicinity of the theoretical air-fuel ratio. Preferably, the oxygen storage capacity is calculated by integrating the product of a deviation amount ?A/F of the sensor output with respect to the theoretical air-fuel ratio and a dwell time thereof. A correction period in which a correction operation is performed is set based on the oxygen storage capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takanori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8932871
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a first ozone sensor that generates a first sensor signal indicating a first amount of ozone in air flowing into a radiator. A second ozone sensor generates a second sensor signal indicating a second amount of ozone in air flowing out of the radiator. A control module receives the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal and determines an ozone conversion rate based on the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventors: Scott H. Wittkopp, Chang H. Kim, Brian T. Heil
  • Patent number: 8904755
    Abstract: A heater control device of an oxygen concentration sensor is provided in which even in a case where an internal combustion engine is automatically stopped by idle stop control after cold start-up, it is possible to start energization of a heater at an appropriate time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Takeda, Ken Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8893546
    Abstract: A method/device for evaluating oxygen sensor signals of an air supply channel connected to an exhaust gas channel of the internal combustion engine, via an exhaust gas recirculation having at least one exhaust gas recirculation valve; the oxygen sensor being downstream from the exhaust gas recirculation initiation; the sensor signal(s) being corrected as a function of at least one characteristics variable describing the dependence of the sensor signal on the oxygen concentration or a correlated variable, and/or additional physical variables. At at least one engine operating point(s), in response to a closed exhaust gas recirculation valve, output oxygen sensor signals and additional operating point parameters are recorded/stored; and an adaptation of the characteristic variables is derived assuming that the gas composition corresponds to pure air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Holberg, Christian Reichert
  • Patent number: 8869606
    Abstract: Providing a PM emission amount estimation device for the diesel engine wherein the accuracy of the correction in correcting the basic level of the PM emission amount by use of the PM emission amount estimation map can be enhanced; and, the PM emission amount particularly during the transient state of the engine operation condition can be accurately computed so as to estimate, with high precision, the PM emission amount and the PM emission accumulated-amount (integrated amount) during the whole engine operation conditions including the transient state as well as the steady state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Ikawa, Masato Mitsuhashi, Kazunari Ide
  • Patent number: 8857155
    Abstract: Various methods and system are described for determining ambient humidity via an exhaust gas sensor disposed in an exhaust system of an engine. In one example, a reference voltage of the sensor is modulated between a first and second voltage during non-fueling conditions of the engine. The ambient humidity is determined based on an average change in pumping current while the voltage is modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Richard E. Soltis, Timothy Schram, Timothy Joseph Clark, Evangelos Skoures
  • Publication number: 20140202437
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for estimating a PCV flow to an engine based on the output of an exhaust gas oxygen sensor. During DFSO conditions, a reference voltage of the sensor is modulated initially with an intake throttle open and then with the intake throttle closed. PCV flow leaking past the piston valves in an aging engine, as well as an ambient humidity estimate, are inferred based on the outputs of the sensor during the modulating with the intake throttle open and closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Daniel A. Makled, Richard E. Soltis
  • Patent number: 8776586
    Abstract: Whether or not an electrically heated catalyst is normal is detected by accurately detecting whether the temperature of the electrically heated catalyst has gone up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoya Takagi, Mamoru Yoshioka, Takashi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140130589
    Abstract: A method and a device for operating a sensor is provided in an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for determining the emissions contained in an exhaust gas flow, in particular, of nitrogen oxides, ammonia, oxygen and/or unburnt carbon, with the exhaust gas flow acting on the sensor during measurement phases. Between the measurement phases, the sensor is at least largely kept free from the exhaust gas flow, wherein the duration and/or the frequency of the measurement phases can be set as a function of operating parameters of the internal combustion engine and/or of the exhaust gas regulation system. A measurement space which surrounds the sensor is exposed to a pressurized flushing gas immediately after a measurement phase, as a result of which the exhaust gas present in the measurement space is displaced out of the measurement space into the exhaust gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: MAN TRUCK & BUS AG
    Inventor: Andreas DOERING
  • Patent number: 8720187
    Abstract: An exhaust diagnostic control system comprises a test enabling module, an exhaust gas temperature management module in communication with the test enabling module, and a component management module configured for executing a test for determining a reduction efficiency associated with the after-treatment component. The test enabling module is configured for assessing a reliability of an estimated level of reductant load on an after-treatment component, and, based on the reliability, selectively facilitating disablement of a subsequent test for determining an efficiency of NOx reduction in the after-treatment component. The exhaust gas temperature management module is configured for selectively adjusting a temperature of the after-treatment component to a predetermined temperature range using intrusive exhaust gas temperature management. The test for determining reduction efficiency comprises determining a NOx reduction efficiency of the after-treatment component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Janean E. Kowalkowski, Justin A. Shetney
  • Publication number: 20140047912
    Abstract: Methods and systems for heating an oxygen sensor. One system includes an oxygen sensor and controller. The oxygen sensor includes a heater and an electro-chemical measurement cell and a heater. The controller is coupled to the oxygen sensor and is configured to, for each of a plurality of stages of a regeneration process, determine a predetermined temperature for heating the oxygen sensor to, determine a predetermined internal resistance value of an electro-chemical measurement cell of the oxygen sensor associated with the predetermined temperature, apply a pulse-width-modulated signal to the heater, and monitor an internal resistance of the measurement cell while applying the pulse-width-modulated signal to the heater to determine when the internal resistance of the measurement cell reaches the predetermined internal resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Ralf Oesselke, Chris Allumi, Dave G. Lutz
  • Publication number: 20140033812
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an error count module and a sensor diagnostic module. The error count module increases an error count when an actual air/fuel ratio is different from a desired air/fuel ratio and selectively adjusts the error count based on an actual engine speed. An oxygen sensor generates a signal indicating the actual air/fuel ratio. The sensor diagnostic module diagnoses a fault in the oxygen sensor when the error count is greater than a first predetermined count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Levijoki, Thomas J. Majcher, Scott Jeffrey, John W. Siekkinen
  • Patent number: 8577645
    Abstract: An air/fuel imbalance (AFIM) diagnostic system comprises a first module, an imbalance determination module, and an imbalance diagnostic module. The first module outputs imbalance data samples based on an oxygen signal provided by an oxygen sensor measuring oxygen in exhaust expelled from cylinders of a cylinder bank. The imbalance determination module determines an AFIM value based on the imbalance data samples. The imbalance diagnostic module selectively diagnoses an AFIM in the cylinder bank based on the AFIM value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Inventors: Raymond Claude Turin, Andrew P Bagnasco, Steven Ward Majors, Ian J. MacEwen
  • Publication number: 20130263652
    Abstract: In a method for detecting the operational readiness of a jump lambda sensor associated with an internal combustion engine the internal resistance of the sensor is determined as the criterion for the operational readiness of the sensor. The internal resistance is measured by applying a pulsed current to the sensor, the frequency of the current being selected as a function of the state of the sensor (1, 2, 3, 4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Michael Fey
  • Patent number: 8539824
    Abstract: Methods for monitoring and detecting undesired exotherms which may occur in an exhaust aftertreatment system coupled to a lean burning combustion engine are described. In one particular approach, an undesired exotherm may be indicated based on an expected oxygen depletion along a length of an exhaust aftertreatment system in the direction of exhaust gas flow of exhaust gas. For example, during DPF regeneration, a certain amount of oxygen is expected to be utilized for removing soot. If less oxygen is actually found in the exhaust downstream of the exhaust system, then an undesired exotherm may be present, as unintended reductant may be present in the exhaust and reacting exothermically with oxygen. Various mitigation actions may then be initiated in response to the indication of an undesired exotherm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Jian Kong, Christopher Oberski, Norman Hiam Opolsky, Kirk Andrew Parrish, James Bromham
  • Patent number: 8538665
    Abstract: An electrochemical gas sensor is provided for a motor vehicle. The gas sensor contains a digital controller and a detection circuit. The digital controller captures, by a feedback input, a value of the voltage applied to the inside of the gas sensor cell. The output of the digital controller provides a control value for the current flowing in the gas sensor cell. The detection circuit is used to detect the properties of the gas sensor cell and to adjust the dynamic control properties of the digital controller corresponding to the properties of the gas sensor cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Ekkehart-Peter Wagner
  • Publication number: 20130199283
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for diagnosing deviations in a single cylinder lambda control in an internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders and an exhaust gas sensor designed as a broadband lambda sensor, wherein a pump current is evaluated by means of a pump cell and said pump current is used at least temporarily for an individual cylinder lambda control. According to the invention, a pump voltage or a pump voltage change is determined via the pump cell in addition to the pump current and said value is transmitted to a diagnosis apparatus. Deviations in the single cylinder lambda control can thus be better diagnosed without additional material expense according to the invention, which provides advantages in particular in respect of tightened rulemaking in on-board diagnosis. A preferred application of the method is the use in internal combustion engines having multi-bank exhaust systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Lu Chen, Eberhard Schnaibel, Andreas Koring, Richard Hoeberg, Michael Fey
  • Patent number: 8479494
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas sensor control system and control method, the exhaust pipe wall temperature is estimated based on the measured exhaust gas temperature measured, the exhaust gas flow rate, and the measured outside air temperature, with reference to a supplied heat quantity calculation map, wall temperature added value map, and a wall temperature subtracted value map. Then the dew-point of the exhaust pipe is calculated based on the air-fuel ratio of the air flow amount to the weight of fuel, and a condensed water added amount is calculated based on the relative wall temperature and the exhaust gas flow amount. The amount of condensed water is then estimated by summing the calculated condensed water added amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Enomoto, Akio Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20130139489
    Abstract: A system includes an internal combustion engine providing exhaust gases to an exhaust conduit, an aftertreatment system having an SCR catalyst component and disposed in the exhaust conduit. The system further includes a first NH3 sensing element preferentially sensitive to NH3 and a second NH3 sensing element preferentially sensitive to NO2 in the exhaust conduit. Both NH3 sensing elements are positioned downstream of the SCR catalyst component. The system includes a controller having a test conditions module that determines whether an NO2 concentration downstream of the SCR catalyst component is below a threshold value, an NH3 diagnostic module that provides a detection comparison value in response to the NO2 concentration, a first signal from the first NH3 sensing element, and a second signal from the second NH3 sensing element. The controller includes a sensor condition module that provides an NH3 sensor condition value in response to the detection comparison value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Cummins Inc.
  • Patent number: 8408055
    Abstract: Methods for monitoring and detecting undesired exotherms which may occur in an exhaust aftertreatment system coupled to a lean burning combustion engine are described. In one particular approach, an undesired exotherm may be indicated based on an expected oxygen depletion along a length of an exhaust aftertreatment system in the direction of exhaust gas flow of exhaust gas. For example, during DPF regeneration, a certain amount of oxygen is expected to be utilized for removing soot. If less oxygen is actually found in the exhaust downstream of the exhaust system, then an undesired exotherm may be present, as unintended reductant may be present in the exhaust and reacting exothermically with oxygen. Various mitigation actions may then be initiated in response to the indication of an undesired exotherm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Jian Kong, Christopher Oberski, Norman Hiam Opolsky, Kirk Andrew Parrish, Jim Bromham
  • Patent number: 8402812
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a gas concentration detection apparatus that is capable of forming an accurate activity judgment when a gas concentration detection cell begins to detect gas concentration with high accuracy. When warm-up begins at time t0 in a NOx concentration detection apparatus that achieves NOx concentration detection with a NOx sensor cell after excess oxygen is discharged by an oxygen pump cell, a NOx sensor cell output begins to rise at time t1. Subsequently, at time t2, an oxygen pump cell output begins to rise. An inflection point appearing in the NOx sensor cell output is then located. At time t5 at which the inflection point appears, an activity judgment about the NOx sensor cell is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takanori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8386155
    Abstract: A fault analysis method for a lambda probe of an internal combustion engine, in particular for detecting a heater input, has the following steps: measurement of an air ratio in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine by a lambda probe, control of the air ratio in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine by a lambda probe by a lambda controller intervention in accordance with the measured air ratio, and evaluation of the lambda controller intervention in order to detect a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jia Huang, Johannes Scheuerer, Norbert Sieber
  • Patent number: 8335923
    Abstract: In a method for compatibility checking of a measuring system including a measurement transmitter and a sensor, a first signature is externally created for an identifying data set and is stored in the measurement transmitter. After transmission of the identifying data set from the measurement transmitter to the sensor, a second signature is calculated for the identifying data set in the sensor. If the signatures match, then the measurement transmitter and the sensor are compatible and the measurement transmitter can access data and/or functions of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Conducta Gesellschaft für Mess- und Regeltechnik mbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Detlev Wittmer, Reinhard Weiss
  • Patent number: 8329107
    Abstract: A sensor that generates an output signal in response to a stimulus, where the output signal is generated with a predetermined relationship to one or more properties of the stimulus such that the one or more properties of the stimulus can be determined as a function of the output signal. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a component, a sensor processor, and a transmitter. The component deteriorates, thereby causing predictable fluctuations in the predetermined relationship between the output signal and the one or more properties of the stimulus. The sensor processor provides information related to the deterioration of the component. The transmitter wirelessly transmits the information provided by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ric Investments, LLC
    Inventor: Cord Mueller
  • Patent number: 8290688
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust system, an oxygen sensor in the exhaust system and a sensor malfunction monitor. In order to maintain operation during a fuel cut-off situation, the sensor malfunction monitor is arranged to control the fuel cut-off sequencing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Iain Watson