Abstract: A drive train, for a motor vehicle that has a drive unit controlled by a control device, a driveshaft and an element, which is operatively connected to the drive shaft and is driven by the same. At least one state value of the driven element is read into the control device, and a balancing of the cylinder of the drive unit is carried out utilizing the at least one state value.

Abstract: A process for operating a marine engine (1) in combination with a catalytic partial oxidation reformer (2) and, optionally, an exhaust gas aftertreater (3), wherein: (a) a mixture of a first fuel and air, is introduced in the combustion chamber of the engine (1); (b) exhaust gas is discharged from the engine and optionally partly recirculated to the combustion chamber of the engine (1); (c) a second fuel and oxygen and/or steam are supplied to the catalytic partial oxidation reformer (2) to produce synthesis gas, wherein the second fuel comprises Fischer-Tropsch derived fuel; (d) at least part of the synthesis gas is supplied to: (i) the exhaust gas aftertreater (3); (ii) the combustion chamber of the engine (1); or to both.

Abstract: A method for distinguishing between combustion issues and sensor faults within an engine includes monitoring pressure sensor data from a cylinder within the engine, monitoring engine data describing combustion health from a source other than a pressure sensor, analyzing the pressure sensor data to diagnose an anomalous combustion event, comparing the anomalous combustion event to analysis of the engine data, and indicating a pressure sensor fault warning if the comparison diagnoses a pressure sensor fault.

Abstract: When a start command of an engine is given in the presence of the driver's power demand, the start control sets the ignition timing of the engine to a power demand ignition timing, in order to enable quick output of a large power from the engine in response to the driver's power demand. When the start command of the engine is given in the absence of the driver's power demand in a vehicle drive state, there is little possibility of the occurrence of gear chattering noise because of application of a torque to a driveshaft. The start control accordingly sets the ignition timing of the engine to a vibration control ignition timing, in order to reduce the vibration of the vehicle body. When the start command of the engine is given in the absence of the driver's power demand in a vehicle stop state, on the other hand, application of a small torque may cause the occurrence of chattering noise.

Abstract: An active engine mount assembly for counteracting resultant forces in active fuel management systems, wherein resultant forces are transmitted to a frame of a motorized vehicle generated by the deactivation of at least one cylinder in an internal combustion engine. The active engine mount assembly is fluidly connected to a hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit is operatively connected to an engine crankshaft and operable to actively generate pressure pulses having frequencies self-synchronized with the rotational speed of the crankshaft.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a control circuit of an actuating device with at least one actuator including an actuated part and an electric member controlling movement of the actuated part, the control circuit including a bridge, the controlling electric member being connected in the bridge. The method includes: powering the bridge, producing at least one measurement signal representing the position of the actuated part, and selectively interrupting conduction in at least one branch of the bridge in accordance with the measurement signal to maintain the measurement signal substantially in an operating zone defined between a low threshold and a high threshold during a phase activating the controlling electric member. Conduction is interrupted in at least one branch to place the controlling electrical member in short-circuit via two branches of the bridge when the measurement signal reaches at least one specific threshold above the low threshold.

Abstract: A direct injection spark ignition multi-cylinder internal combustion engine operative in a controlled auto-ignition combustion mode includes a direct fuel injection system, a spark ignition system and a controllable engine valve system. The air/fuel ratio in the exhaust gas feedstream and an intake mass air flow are measured and an actual air/fuel ratio is calculated based upon the intake mass air flow and engine fueling. Magnitude of a negative valve overlap period between an exhaust valve closing and an intake valve opening is adjusted based upon the measured mass air flow. Timing of pre-injection fueling is adjusted during the negative valve overlap period based upon the measured air/fuel ratio.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is selectively operative in a spark ignition combustion mode and a controlled auto-ignition combustion mode. An EGR valve operative to control flow of exhaust gas to an intake manifold is monitored, including commanding the EGR valve to a closed position and monitoring operation of the internal combustion engine. An intake manifold pressure due to a fresh air charge is estimated based upon the operation of the engine. The intake manifold pressure is measured, and the estimated intake manifold pressure is compared to the measured intake manifold pressure.

Abstract: An electronic throttle device includes a throttle body, a bulge, and a ring. The throttle body includes a bore part having an approximately cylindrical shape. The bore part is connected to an upstream air hose such that the upstream air hose is located on an outside of the bore part and is fastened with a fastening member from an outside of the upstream air hose. The bulge is discontinuously located along an outer circumference of the bore part and has a groove along an outer circumference of the bulge. The ring has a cross-sectional dimension larger than a depth of the groove in a radial direction of the bore part, and is located into the groove to configurate a protruding part that protrudes radially outwardly and extends entirely on the outer circumference of the bore part.

Abstract: At high temperature, namely, when the temperature of intake air is higher than a predetermined normal temperature range, an ECU (25) controls a variable valve timing mechanism (24) such that the timing for closing an exhaust valve (9) is adjusted to a retard side, thereby reducing the amount of high-temperature internal EGR gas to avoid the occurrence of pre-ignition. At intermediate load and high load, the ECU (25) makes the retard amount of the timing for closing the exhaust valve (9) larger than that at low load, thereby reducing the amount of internal EGR gas. At intermediate load and in an intermediate-revolution range or a high-revolution range, the rotating speed of an electric motor (16) is increased to raise a supercharging pressure exerted by a supercharger (17).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method to operate an internal combustion engine with electronic control wherein fault codes indicative of emissions levels may be stored in permanent memory.

Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders using electronic valve actuation, including operating a first portion of the cylinders in a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) mode, operating a second portion of the cylinders in a non-HCCI mode, and adjusting the valve timing of the second portion of cylinders to dynamically load level the engine in response to a transient torque demand. A system for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine, including a first group of cylinders to operate in an HCCI mode, a second group of cylinders to operate in a non-HCCI mode, and an engine controller operably coupled to the first and second groups of cylinders, said controller to adjust the valve timing of the second group of cylinders to dynamically load level the engine in response to a transient torque demand.

Abstract: In a method for controlling the composition of a combustible air-fuel mixture present in a combustion chamber of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine having external mixture formation, at least two fluids containing air are generated, of which at least one is an air-fuel mixture; the fluids are supplied to the combustion chamber, wherein the quantity proportions of the fluids are controlled such that their total composition corresponds to the predetermined composition.

Abstract: A fuel injection control device that prevents a misfire is provided. The fuel injection control device comprises: target injection amount determination means 3 for determining a target injection amount of each fuel injection, so that the amount of fuel to be supplied to a cylinder in one combustion cycle is supplied in a plurality of fuel injections; and fuel injection correction amount determination means 4 for determining a fuel correction amount of one combustion cycle, wherein the fuel injection correction amount determination means 4 distributes the correction amount among each fuel injection in accordance with the ratio of a target injection amount of each fuel injection in the cylinder.

Abstract: The combustion air-fuel ratio is made leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio at the time of engine startup and the combustion air-fuel ratio is made richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and the exhaust downstream part of the three-way catalyst apparatus is raised in temperature when it is judged that just the exhaust upstream part of the three-way catalyst apparatus arranged in the engine exhaust system has been raised to the catalyst activation temperature.

Abstract: A device for controlling at least one piezoactuator for an injection valve of an internal combustion engine, including a microcontroller that controls an output stage which generates the load current for charging and discharging the piezoactuator. The microcontroller controls the output stage through an integrated circuit. A discharge circuit interacts with the integrated circuit to reliably discharge the piezoactuator in case of a failure of the output stage and/or of a safety path of the microcontroller. The load current during the discharge is controlled by a control circuit having a controller which is part of the integrated circuit. The discharge circuit has emergency discharge elements that are activated in case of a failure of the controller or of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method for detecting the angular position of a gas knob of a motorcycle; the method presents the steps of: detecting simultaneously four mutually redundant measurements of the angular position of the gas knob by means of two mutually independent angular-position sensors forming part of an acquisition system; making a cross comparison two by two between the four measurements for diagnosing any possible malfunctioning of the angular-position sensors; and determining the angular position of the gas knob, using at least one measurement supplied by an angular-position sensor operating properly.

Abstract: A method and a start control device are provided for controlling an automatic start-up process of a drive unit of a motor vehicle. The drive unit is automatically started when all of the predetermined start-up conditions are fulfilled. However, even in the event that an absence of the driver is detected, the drive unit automatically starts when the speed of the motor vehicle is greater than a predetermined limit speed and all other start-up conditions are fulfilled.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a multiple cylinder direct injection internal combustion engine include injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber during the exhaust stroke at high engine speeds and loads to reduce the effect of intake airflow on the injection spray and improve fuel-air mixture homogeneity.

Abstract: A boat propulsion unit controller includes a switch arranged to switch between a long intake duct and a short intake duct for drawing air into an engine of a boat propulsion unit, a motor-operated driver arranged to drive the switch, a duct length switching position sensor arranged to detect the position of the switch at the time of switching the duct length, a fuel supply arranged to supply fuel to the engine, a sensor failure detector arranged to detect failure of the duct length switching position sensor based on its output, and a controller arranged to compensate the fuel supply rate based on the position of the switch detected at the time of duct length switchover. A controller, when the duct length switching position sensor fails, takes the action of switching to the long intake duct and compensates the fuel supply rate using a sensor output quasi value corresponding to the time of switchover to the long intake duct.