Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Barnes & Thornburgh
  • Patent number: 6467469
    Abstract: An EGR valve position control system includes an EGR valve manager responsive to an EGR valve command to drive an EGR valve actuator. The EGR valve manager is operable to schedule control gains as a function of valve actuation direction to provide for faster response during valve closing events. Valve closing events are also staged such that a large valve position step is followed by a steady ramp to the valve closed position to thereby prevent damage to the valve and/or valve seat. The EGR valve manager further includes a prioritized switching feature for strategically switching between closed and open loop control modes, and a forward gain adjustment feature responsive to battery voltage to maintain constant system DC gain under changing battery voltage conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Chang Yang, Gregory R. White, Robert S. Henrich, Yue Yun Wang, John M. Janssen, Ray C. Hatton