Abstract: Some aspects of what is described here relate to controlling an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve in an engine system. An EGR valve control signal is generated based on an engine operating condition detected in the engine system. The EGR valve control signal is calibrated to counteract a predicted force on the EGR valve resulting from exhaust gas pressure associated with the engine operating condition. The EGR valve is operated based on the EGR valve control signal.

Abstract: A gaseous fuel pressure regulator uses an inlet valve and an outlet valve to regulate an incoming pressure, from a gaseous fuel supply tank, and accurately control the pressure at the outlet of the regulator. The control of the outlet pressure is maintained by precise movement of the outlet valve which is controlled by an actuator. The actuator receiving pulse width modulated signals from a microprocessor in order to maintain the outlet valve in an opened, or gas flow permitting, position for a time period which is appropriate to maintain the desired pressure at the outlet port of the regulator. An inlet port maintains a pressure within a conduit, which is connected in fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port at an intermediate pressure which is used by the outlet valve to achieve the desired outlet pressure magnitude.

Abstract: A method for determining the proper fueling of an internal combustion engine when nitrous oxide is being injected into the air intake of the engine determines an equivalent air per cycle (APCequiv) by calculating the effect of both the air and the nitrous oxide on the oxygen content of the gas stream flowing into the cylinders of the engine. After calculating the equivalent air per cylinder magnitude, the fuel per cylinder (FPC) is calculated as a function of the stoichiometric air fuel ratio and an equivalence ratio that modifies the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.

Abstract: A calibration procedure involves the steps of manually placing a throttle handle in five preselected positions that correspond with mechanical detents of the throttle control mechanism. At each of the five positions, one or more position indicating signals are received by a microprocessor of a controller and stored for future use. The five positions comprise wide open throttle in forward gear, wide open throttle in reverse gear, the shift position between neutral and forward gear, the shift position between neutral and reverse gear, and the mid-point of the neutral gear selection range. The present invention then continuously monitors signals provided by a sensor of the throttle control mechanism and mathematically determines the precise position of the throttle handle as a function of the stored position indicating signals. In one embodiment, each position indicating signal comprises three redundant signal magnitudes.

Abstract: An engine control system calculates air velocity through a throttle body as a function of mass air flow through the throttle body, air density, and the effective area of air flow through the throttle body as a function of throttle plate position. Mass air flow is calculated as a function of the effective area through the throttle body, barometric pressure, manifold pressure, manifold temperature, the ideal gas constant, and the ratio of specific heats for air. By controlling the throttle plate position as a dual function of throttle demand, which is a manual input, and air velocity through the throttle body, certain disadvantages transient behavior of the engine can be avoided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for calculating the air charge mass for an engine as a function of four measured parameters. These parameters include the engine speed measured by a tachometer, a throttle position measured by a throttle position sensor, manifold air temperature, and barometric pressure. Without the need for a mass air flow sensor or a manifold absolute pressure sensor, the present invention provides a system for quickly and accurately calculating the air charge mass for the engine.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling tractive force of a ground vehicle. The method is adaptive to vehicles which have both driven axles and non driven axles or, alternatively, vehicles which have only driven axles. Slip is determined either by comparing the angular velocities of the driven and non driven axles or, alternatively, by monitoring the angular velocity of the driven axle as a function of time to determine an instantaneous angular acceleration. The tractive force command is varied as a function of slip of the driven axle and is increased or decreased relative to the tractive force request provided by the operator in order to most efficiently respond to the operator command.

Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel system of a multiple injector engine provides a primary fuel injector and a secondary fuel injector which are both connected in fluid communication with an air stream flowing to a combustion chamber of the engine. Based on the total magnitude of fuel required to be injected into the air stream and as a function of the engine speed and percent load of the engine, first and second shares of the total magnitude of fuel are determined for the primary and secondary fuel injectors. The primary and secondary fuel injectors are then caused to inject their respective shares of the total fuel magnitude into the air stream, with the primary and secondary shares being determined as a function of engine speed and percent load of the engine.

Abstract: A control algorithm provides a method for selecting a pitch magnitude for a controllable pitch propeller. The pitch magnitude is selected as a function of the difference between a desired engine speed and an actual engine speed in addition to the actual pitch position of the controllable pitch propeller. The desired engine speed is selected as a function of the position of either a throttle control lever or the throttle plate of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A bypass control valve is controlled by an engine control module as a function of manifold absolute pressure and temperature within an air intake manifold in conjunction with the barometric pressure. An air per cylinder (APC) magnitude is calculated dynamically and compared to a desired APC value which is selected as a function of engine operating parameters. The air per cylinder value is calculated as a function of the manifold absolute pressure, the cylinder swept volume, the volumetric efficiency, the ideal gas constant, and the air inlet temperature. The volumetric efficiency is selected from stored data as a function of engine speed and a ratio of manifold absolute pressure to barometric pressure.

Abstract: A control method and apparatus for regulating the power output of an engine in a marine propulsion system provides the storage of several sets of numerical values in which each numerical value in each set is associated with a particular cylinder of the engine. In addition, each numerical value in each set represents the number of consecutive firing events experienced by each cylinder prior to the occurrence of a skip fire event. A numerical value of zero indicates continuous skip fire events for a particular cylinder and a numerical value equivalent to some predetermined maximum numerical value, such as 255, represents a continuous firing regime for the associated cylinder.

Abstract: A control system for a fuel injected engine provides an engine control unit that receives signals from a throttle handle that is manually manipulated by an operator of a marine vessel. The engine control unit also measures engine speed and various other parameters, such as manifold absolute pressure, temperature, barometric pressure, and throttle position. The engine control unit controls the timing of fuel injectors and the injection system and also controls the position of a throttle plate. No direct connection is provided between a manually manipulated throttle handle and the throttle plate. All operating parameters are either calculated as a function of ambient conditions or determined by selecting parameters from matrices which allow the engine control unit to set the operating parameters as a function of engine speed and torque demand, as represented by the position of the throttle handle.

Abstract: In the event that a throttle position sensor fails, a method is provided which allows a pseudo throttle position sensor value to be calculated as a function of volumetric efficiency, pressure, volume, temperature, and the ideal gas constant. This is accomplished by first determining an air per cylinder (PAC) value and then calculated the mass air flow into the engine as a function of the air per cylinder (APC) value. The mass air flow is then used, as a ratio of the maximum mass air flow at maximum power at sea level for the engine, to calculate a pseudo throttle position sensor value. That pseudo TPS (BARO) value is then used to select an air/fuel target ratio that allows the control system to calculate the fuel per cycle (FPC) for the engine.

Abstract: A docking system is provided which utilizes the marine propulsion unit of a marine vessel, under the control of an engine control unit that receives command signals from a joystick or push button device, to respond to a maneuver command from the marine operator. The docking system does not require additional propulsion devices other than those normally used to operate the marine vessel under normal conditions. The docking or maneuvering system of the present invention uses two marine propulsion units to respond to an operator's command signal and allows the operator to select forward or reverse commands in combination with clockwise or counterclockwise rotational commands either in combination with each other or alone.

Abstract: A control system for a fuel injector system for an internal combustion engine is provided with a method by which the magnitude of the start of air point for the injector system is modified according to the barometric pressure measured in a region surrounding the engine. This offset, or modification, of the start of air point adjusts the timing of the fuel injector system to suit different altitudes at which the engine may be operating.