Abstract: A powertrain control method applied to a lean burn engine coupled to a continuously variable transmission for minimizing engine out emissions selects one or more control parameters from a plurality of parameters that may be precisely controlled to provide for acceptable powertrain control with minimized emissions. Lean burn engine operation is maintained under low brake mean effective pressure conditions by modulating powertrain output power through transmission drive ratio variation. Fuel and air per cylinder may further be varied with the drive ratio when low emissions can be provided with minimum sacrifice to fuel economy. Lean burn operation is suspended under high brake mean effective pressure conditions by driving air/fuel ratio toward the stoichiometric ratio to exploit the efficiency of an included three-way catalytic treatment device while lowering engine speed to stabilize combustion.

Abstract: Mechanical lash in a cruise control system including a cruise control actuator linked to an engine intake air valve through a cruise cable assembly is automatically measured and stored for use in cruise control operations. The cruise control actuator is driven from a base position along a position schedule while an engine parameter responsive to change in intake air valve position is monitored for any significant parameter change indicating movement of the intake air valve in response to the actuator movement. The amount of actuator movement required before any significant change occurs in the engine parameter is stored as representing the mechanical lash. Cruise control commands are augmented by the learned mechanical lash before being applied to the cruise control actuator.

Abstract: Automotive internal combustion engine ignition timing control operations for varying timing of engine cylinder combustion chamber ignition events models the lead-lag combustion chamber temperature change profile under a transition from a first to a second engine operating condition and varies ignition timing following the transition in response to the temperature change profile. The lead-lag profile is implemented by applying a step change in ignition timing followed by a more gradual timing change, such as along a first order lag trajectory, toward a final ignition timing following the transition, and is updated in synchronism with engine cylinder events to account for a dependence on engine speed.

Abstract: A positive crankcase ventilation system diagnostic applied in an automotive internal combustion engine with a pressure sensor disposed in the system for continuous sensing of system pressure while the engine is running in a steady state operating condition, with minimum and maximum sensed pressure values stored during each of repeated test periods. Pressure values exceeding a predetermined normal range over at least one test period indicate a leak or restriction condition in the system. Small differences in pressure values over test periods indicate sensor or electrical fault conditions. Fault conditions are logged and are indicated if persistent.

Abstract: A procedure has been proposed for diagnosing operability of a catalytic treatment device for catalytically treating internal combustion engine exhaust gas, by determining whether the catalytic treatment device reaches a light-off operating condition within a short period of time following an engine coldstart operation. When catalytic converter temperature reaches a temperature level associated, for an operable catalytic converter, with light-off, the operating efficiency of the converter is sampled and, if persistently below an acceptable operating efficiency over a number of coldstart operations, a deterioration in the converter is stored and indicated.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine cylinder compression ratio measurement is provided by applying a train of pressure pulses to an engine cylinder, measuring time rate of change in pressure within the cylinder and estimating a volume of air within the cylinder from the measured time rate of change. The cylinder air volume may be compensated for such effects as change in cylinder air temperature away from a calibration temperature or cylinder leakage. The time rate of change in pressure is measured at an engine angular position corresponding to a known volume within the cylinder, for example an engine angular position corresponding to the cylinder top dead center position, and cylinder compression ratio is determined from the estimated volume of air in the cylinder and the known cylinder volume.

Abstract: At least one powered disc is suspended from a locomotive and applied to a rail surface for treating the rail surface ahead of driven locomotive wheels to increase adhesion between the driven wheels and the rail surface. Torque applied to the disc varies the rate of rotation of the disc away from that of a freely-rotating disc so that a significant level of creep may be maintained between the disc and the rail surface with substantially no angle of attack between the disc and the longitudinal axis of the rail. The torque may be generated through a second disc contacting the rail and coupled to the first disc with the first and second discs rotating with differing rates of rotation, or may be generated through a passive or active actuator coupled directly to the disc. The amount of creep between the disc and the rail surface and the direction of the creep may be varied in accordance with the level of contamination of the rail and the disc may be disengaged from the rail when cleaning is not required.

Abstract: Two stroke internal combustion engine control compensates for diagnosed cylinder misfire conditions characterized by improper combustion, during a cylinder combustion event, of an air/fuel mixture in an engine cylinder by learning a required number of cylinder combustion events to periodically be skipped to allow for removal of residual combustion elements from the cylinder following improper combustion therein, and by periodically postponing cylinder combustion over the learned number of events. The learned number of events may vary across engine cylinders, across engine operating conditions, and further may vary as a function of each cylinder's misfire propensity and severity over various engine operating conditions.

Abstract: An adaptive electronic throttle control system for internal combustion engine intake air rate control selectively adapts the responsiveness of the intake air rate control to maintain synchronism with other engine control systems including fuel control and dilution control systems according to the responsiveness of such other control systems and, as indicated by current engine operating conditions, according to the need to maintain synchronism to minimize emissions and maximize performance and stability.

Abstract: A method for analyzing automotive vehicle emissions detects and logs significant engine events over a test period, and applies the logged events to a model defining the emissions impact of such events to yield a vehicle emissions estimate for the test period. The method includes a diagnostic for diagnosing a deviation in performance of emissions control systems away from an expected performance and for correcting the vehicle emissions estimated to reflect the operating condition of the emissions control systems.

Abstract: Engine speed control through variation in ignition timing of an air-fuel mixture in engine cylinders to vary engine output torque in response to current and predicted future engine speed error includes a proportional-derivative control strategy for damping engine speed oscillations, includes an additive combustion timing offset determined as a function of accessory load status for simplified calibration, and includes control gains determined as a function of a predicted future engine intake manifold absolute air pressure to better predict and compensate engine load changes and determined as a function of predicted future engine speed to stabilize combustion timing.

Abstract: Using a plurality of engine position reference pulses for each cylinder event, several reference periods for each cylinder event are defined and the engine speed can be accurately predicted for the current reference period and for future reference periods using position data from only the current combustion interval. For speed control the start of injection and start of spark dwell are computed based on predicted engine speeds for periods after those functions are started. Adaptive prediction gains are used to update the prediction algorithms to reflect the current engine operation conditions and minimize prediction error.

Abstract: Control of engine speed responsive to a deviation in engine speed away from a target speed is applied selectively under closed-loop airflow control operating conditions, such as idle and coastdown operating conditions in response to analysis of a cause of an engine intake airflow deviation away from a modeled airflow. If airflow deviations are determined to have resulted from variation in internal engine friction away from a nominal friction level, the control is applied. If airflow deviations are determined to have resulted from change in internal engine airflow restriction, such as due to contaminant build-up over a period of engine use, then the control is not applied under closed-loop airflow control operating conditions to avoid overcompensating for such deviations.

Abstract: Ignition modules for directly applying spark plug drive signals to spark plug pairs disposed in engine cylinders are diagnosed by issuing drive signals to the ignition modules and then monitoring the corresponding engine cylinders for misfire condition patterns. Consistent misfire activity in each cylinder controlled by an individual ignition module is interpreted as a fault condition in the ignition module or in its peripheral circuitry, facilitating fault condition identification and treatment.

Abstract: A spark plug boot assembly for interfacing an ignition signal conductor and a spark plug, the assembly including a spark plug boot having a hollow electrically conductive cylinder disposed on an interior boot surface, the cylinder having a flared lower cylinder end extending through the interior boot surface over a spark plug post-socketed terminal contact area, and having an upper cylinder end extending over the socketed terminal including over any crimp section of the socketed terminal. The cylinder further includes a seat for seating a collar about the socketed terminal when a full terminal insertion position is reached.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine camshaft phaser position detection with a single position sensor fixed in position relative to a rotatably driven member rotating in constant phase with the engine camshaft and a rotatably driving member rotating in constant phase with the engine crankshaft. Teeth or slots are provided on the driven and driving members and pass in proximity to the sensor for varying a sensor output signal which is processed to determine the relative time of passage of the driving and driven members to determine relative phase therebetween.

Abstract: A pulsed measurement technique for calorimetric sensors provides a short current pulse through catalyzed and inert sensor elements to minimize self heating while providing for sensor resistance measurement, so that a determination of the level of catalytic activity at the surface of the catalyzed element may be made for sensing the concentration of combustible elements of automotive internal combustion engine exhaust gas. Exhaust gas temperature measurement is provided by monitoring the inert element resistance. Exhaust gas flow rate measurement is provided by heating the inert element for a short heating period, and then removing the heat source while monitoring the time rate of return to the known initial inert element temperature.

Abstract: A comprehensive diagnostic for an active brake control system for automatically increasing braking at selected wheels of an automotive vehicle in response to detected vehicle turning maneuvers provides a hierarchy of diagnostic procedures for diagnosing local transducer and transducer circuit fault conditions, for diagnosing lack of correlation between transducers and subsystems, and for diagnosing low system level performance. Transducers or subsystems are isolated and indicated as the source of diagnosed low system performance to facilitate fault treatment procedures. Active brake control system authority is automatically reduced for at least the duration of diagnosed fault conditions.

Abstract: A header connector snap lock apparatus for securing a header connector to a printed circuit board through insertion of semicircular header connector pegs into corresponding circular printed circuit board openings allowing for circuit board thermal expansion, for example during a wave solder process, and dispersing peg strain concentration through insertion force deflection of the peg and the beam along at least three deflection planes through use of a channeled, slotted cantilever beam extending out from the header connector and from which the peg extends.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine torque control for damping undesirable engine speed variation measures the variation as a high frequency engine speed variation at a known engine operating angle and, for each cylinder combustion event while the variation is present, calculates a phase-compensated desired torque change to dampen the engine speed variation by projecting the engine speed variation phase at the known engine operating angle to the phase at a next combustion event, and to calculate an opposing cylinder output torque change to dampen the engine speed variation phase at that next combustion event. The torque change is then carried out through ignition timing variation at the combustion event or through variation in the amount of fuel delivered for ignition at the combustion event.