Abstract: A system is disclosed for diagnosing cylinder misfiring in an internal combustion engine. A control computer is configured to periodically diagnose whether each cylinder of the engine is firing or misfiring, and to log information relating to such cylinder firing or misfiring.

Abstract: The system includes at least one transmission belt operable to couple the drive shafts of auxiliary devices with a pulley operatively connectable to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, and a servo controlled clutch operable selectively to control the coupling of the pulley with the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. Between the pulley and the crankshaft of the engine is interposed an overrun clutch such that when the angular velocity of the crankshaft is greater than and, respectively, less than that of the pulley, the pulley is able to be driven in rotation by the crankshaft and, respectively, becomes freely rotatable with respect to this crankshaft. The servo controlled clutch is normally de energised and disengaged.

Abstract: In an engine starting unit, a gear switching clutch is fitted on one end of a main shaft, a power transmission gear train including a clutch gear rotating together with an input member of the gear switching clutch is provided between one end of a crankshaft and the input member, a kick start gear train is arranged between a drive gear group and the clutch gear, and a one-way starter clutch is arranged on the crankshaft between the drive gear group and the clutch gear.

Abstract: A control system with multiprocessor architecture for an internal combustion powertrain is disclosed. The control system has a computing unit capable of executing both basic control functions of the powertrain and ancillary control functions not directly related to the control of the powertrain. The computing unit comprises a main processor, which is dedicated to executing basic functions for controlling the powertrain, at least one auxiliary processor, which is dedicated to executing ancillary control functions, a number of memories, a series of peripheral devices, at least one peripheral bus connection, to which the peripheral devices are connected, and an intelligent main bus connection of the cross-bar bus type to allow the processors to communicate with the memories and with the peripheral bus connection.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine in accordance with one aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising a combustion chamber, a reformer, and a control portion. A predetermined fuel component is burnt in the combustion chamber. The reformer has a reforming catalyst, and that produces a reformed gas which contains the fuel component obtained by reforming a mixture of fuel and air and which supplied to the combustion chamber. The control portion sets an air-fuel ratio of the mixture in the reformer such that a reforming efficiency of the reformer is held within a predetermined range, and sets an amount of the mixture supplied to the reformer such that an actual output torque of the internal combustion engine coincides with a target torque.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for facilitating participation in a slot game. A display grid having a plurality of active display segments is presented. Symbols are randomly presented in each active display segment that has not expired. The active display segments that have expired in response to at least one randomly-selected expiration parameter are deactivated. The presentation of symbols in each of the active display segments, and the deactivation of active display segments that have expired, is repeated until a predetermined number of the active display segments have been deactivated through expiration.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and recording medium for controlling starting of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus for controlling starting of an internal combustion engine is provided with a clutch for connecting and disconnecting a motor and the internal combustion engine, which is installed in a vehicle. When starting the internal combustion engine, the clutch is released and the motor is maintained in an actuated state, and the clutch is engaged after the motor enters a predetermined rotation state.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device for valve trains of an engine having cylinders which are optionally deactivated by applying oil pressure to the valve train so as to suspend the operations of associated intake and exhaust valves, the hydraulic control device comprising a plurality of rocker shafts which are arranged in line, and each of which is provided with hydraulic passages therein for applying oil pressure to each of the valve trains so as to activate and deactivate the cylinders, a plurality of sets of hydraulic circuits, which are provided to the rocker shafts, respectively, for applying oil pressure to each of the rocker shafts, and oil pressure measuring sections provided to the hydraulic circuits, respectively, for measuring oil pressure in each of the hydraulic circuits.

Abstract: A manual engine starter includes a starting device having a driven shaft selectively connected to a crank of the engine and a drive shaft connected to the driven shaft for driving the driven shaft and starting the engine. The drive shaft has a tubular drive portion formed with a guide side and the driven shaft having a driven portion that is rotatably received in the tubular drive portion and engaged to the guide side and moved along the guide so as to make the driven shaft moved along an axis thereof when the drive shaft is rotated to drive the driven shaft. A puller laterally is mounted the starting device for driving the drive shaft to drive the driven shaft.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has cylinders within which combustion occurs and an exhaust system through which products of combustion are exhausted from the cylinders. A temperature sensor and an electric heater are disposed in temperature sensing relation to the exhaust gas flow. A processor develops temperature data obtained from the temperature sensor, and power data representing power required to heat the electric heater to a temperature in excess of temperature of exhaust gas flow past the heater. The processor processes the temperature data, the power data, and data representing mass flow through the engine upstream of the temperature sensor and heater according to an algorithm for yielding data representing difference between mass flow of exhaust gas past the temperature sensor and heater and mass flow upstream of the temperature sensor and heater. The measurement may then be used to measure leakage from the exhaust system by subtracting it from flow measurement in a different location.

Abstract: An engine starting device includes an air-intake flow channel in which air sucked by an engine flows. A throttle valve is provided in the air-intake flow channel for controlling airflow. An air channel bypassing the throttle valve and communicating the air-intake flow channel between an upstream side and a downstream side of the throttle valve is also provided. The air channel includes a first channel portion and a second channel portion. A first opening-closing valve opens and closes the first channel portion of the air channel and a control device controls the first opening-closing valve. The engine starting device also includes a second opening-closing valve opening and closing the second channel portion and the first channel portion. The control device determines a starting state of the engine, controls the first opening-closing valve to open the first channel portion when the engine is not in the starting state and to close the first channel portion after the engine has started.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to enable the reliable compression ignition from starting of a pilot oil ignition gas engine in whose cylinder head there is provided a precombustion chamber unit with pilot injection valve that has liquid fuel injection valves and a precombustion chamber by using the injection of pilot oil from the liquid fuel injection valves, and to thereby allow the engine to be started smoothly. The position of a fuel rack (fuel control rod) that controls the discharge quantity of fuel injection pumps that feed pilot oil to the liquid fuel injection valves is controlled by a control apparatus via a rack control actuator (a position control actuator). In addition, the control apparatus counts the engine speed from pulses generated by a speed sensor and, in a region where the engine speed is low, sets the discharge quantity of the fuel injection pumps to a large quantity.

Abstract: A system and method to predict engine air amount for an internal combustion engine is described. Included is a method to predict a change in engine air amount based on engine position. This method especially suited to engine starts, where engine air amount is difficult to predict due to low engine speed and limited sensor information. The system and method provides the prediction of engine air amount without extensive models or calibration. Fuel is supplied based on the predicted engine air amount.

Abstract: An engine cranking system includes an engine, a cranking motor coupled to the engine, a battery, a capacitor and an ignition switch. A first relay is connected between the cranking motor and system ground. A second relay is moveable between at least an open-circuit condition and a closed-circuit position to complete an electrical path connecting the capacitor with the cranking motor. The first relay is connected between the capacitor and the second relay. In one embodiment, a running engine sensory component is coupled between the first relay and system ground. In another embodiment, the engine cranking system includes a running engine sensory component connected to a relay and a control module connected to the relay and the capacitor. In one embodiment, a momentary switch is coupled between the capacitor and the relay.

Abstract: A method for starting an internal combustion engine coupled with a cranking motor, which is coupled with an electrical battery, includes connecting a capacitor with an electrical system of another engine or battery, wherein the capacitor is disconnected from the cranking motor coupled with the first engine, and charging the capacitor with the electrical system of the other engine or battery. The method further includes connecting the capacitor with the cranking motor coupled with the first engine, at a time when the first battery has insufficient charge to start the first engine, and starting the first engine with the cranking motor and the capacitor. A portable rapid-delivery power supply apparatus for providing a supplementary source of power to an electrical system includes a capacitor having connectors adapted to be connected to the electrical system and a charging device coupled to the capacitor, wherein the charger is powered by alternating current.

Abstract: An electric starter apparatus and method with three-stage gearing and method for starting an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a starter assembly, a first gear, a second gear, a third gear, a fourth gear and an engine shaft. The starter assembly includes an electric starter motor and a starter motor shaft communicating with the starter motor. The starter motor shaft is rotatable in response to energizing of the starter motor. The first gear is attached to the starter motor shaft for rotation therewith. The second gear engages the first gear, the third gear engages the second gear, and the fourth gear engages the third gear. The fourth gear is attached to the engine shaft for communicating with an internal combustion engine. The engine is started by energizing the starter motor to rotate the starter motor shaft, the gears, and the engine shaft. The arrangement of gears enables the use of a low-torque/high-rpm electric starter motor in combination with a nickel-cadmium battery.

Abstract: An engine (10) has a fueling system that uses hydraulic fluid to force fuel into engine combustion chambers via fuel injectors. Pressure of the hydraulic fluid is determined by a steady state strategy (ICP—DES—1) and a transient strategy (34, 36) that develops transient data values to account for certain transients in engine operation by processing engine speed data and data representing rate of change of engine speed, and data representing engine fueling to develop sub-strategy data values (ICP—FF—TS, ICP—FF—TL) for a transient component. The data values ICP—DES—1, ICP—FF—TS, and ICP—FF—TL are algebraically summed to develop a data value (ICP—DES—2) for a transient-modified desired hydraulic fluid pressure that is compared with a data value for actual hydraulic fluid pressure (ICP) to develop a data value for an error signal ICP—ERR. The data value for the error signal is processed according to a closed-loop strategy to develop a data value that controls the hydraulic fluid pressure.

Abstract: In order to provide an intake flow rate detecting apparatus of an internal combustion engine which accurately compensates for an air flow meter detection error due to intake pulsation so as to make it possible to detect an intake flow rate more accurately, regardless of the of type of flow rate control mechanism, an intake flow rate detecting apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes a throttle valve which is provided in an intake passage and which adjusts a rate of the air that is taken into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, at least one flow rate control mechanisms which are provided between the throttle valve and the combustion chamber and which control an air flow rate between the throttle valve and the combustion chamber, and a flow rate sensor which is provided upstream of the throttle valve in the intake passage and which detects a flow rate of air flowing through the intake passage.

Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring and mitigating exhaust gas emitted from a vehicle in a closable structure. A remote monitoring device within the closable structure is trained in response to a training signal transmitted from a remote transmitter device. A remote engine start signal is intercepted within a receiving circuit of the remote monitoring device during an actual remote engine start operation. The exhaust gas emitted from the vehicle is monitored in response to receiving the remote engine start signal. A determination is made if an exhaust gas concentration level is greater than a predetermined threshold. A control signal is transmitted to a mitigation device for mitigating the exhaust gas within the closable structure when the exhaust gas concentration level is greater than the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (10) has a control system (24) for processing various data to develop data for control of various aspects of engine operation, including controlling a device, such as an EGR valve (22) or turbocharger (16). A transient compensation strategy develops a multiplier data value for transient compensation of a control data value for controlling the device by multiplying that control data value by that multiplier data value. The transient compensation strategy comprises a map (34, 40) containing data values for the multiplier, each of which is correlated with both a particular data value for engine speed within a range of data values for engine speed (N) and a particular data value for accelerator pedal rate (APS—d) within a range of data values for accelerator pedal rate.