Abstract: A system and method of controlling a powertrain to protect a high voltage cable by determining a temperature characteristic for a busbar, determining a temperature characteristic adjacent to a component, and determining a current through the high voltage cable. Thereafter, the method reduces an operating characteristic of the powertrain based on the temperature characteristic for the busbar, the temperature characteristic adjacent to the component, and the current.

Abstract: A control system and method for controlling an engine comprising an electric turbocharger are presented. The system comprises a wastegate valve configured to control a pressure of exhaust gas in an exhaust system of the engine at a turbine of the electric turbocharger. A controller obtains a set of parameters that each affect exhaust gas energy; using the set of parameters: (i) determines a target mass flow into the engine and a target boost for the turbocharger to achieve a torque request; (ii) determines a target power for a compressor of the turbocharger to achieve the target engine mass flow and the target turbocharger boost; (iii) determines an electric turbocharger motor power target; (iv) determines, based on the target power for the compressor and the electric turbocharger motor power target, a target pressure ratio and a target mass exhaust flow for the turbine of the electric turbocharger.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling a powertrain to protect a high voltage cable by determining a temperature characteristic for a busbar, determining a temperature characteristic adjacent to a component, and determining a current through the high voltage cable. Thereafter, the method reduces an operating characteristic of the powertrain based on the temperature characteristic for the busbar, the temperature characteristic adjacent to the component, and the current.

Abstract: A combustion control method and system for an engine of a vehicle comprises a controller configured to access a trained feedforward artificial neural network configured to model a volumetric efficiency (VE) of the engine based on measured engine speed, engine intake manifold absolute pressure, intake and exhaust camshaft positions, intake air temperature, and engine coolant temperature, generate a base VE of the engine using the trained feedforward artificial neural network and the measured parameters, estimate an air charge mass flowing to each cylinder of the engine based on the base VE of the engine, and control combustion in the cylinders of the engine based on the estimated air charge mass to improve at least one of combustion stability, torque response, and fuel economy.

Abstract: Engine combustion phasing control techniques utilize a trained feedforward artificial neural network (ANN) to model both base and maximum brake torque (MBT) spark timing based on six inputs: intake and exhaust camshaft positions, mass and temperature of an air charge being provided to each cylinder of the engine, engine speed, engine coolant temperature. The selected target spark timing could be adjusted based on a two-dimensional surface having engine speed and air charge mass as inputs. The target spark timing adjustment could be performed only during an initial period when the trained ANN is immature. The ANN could also be trained using dynamometer data for the engine that is artificially weighted for high load regions where accuracy of spark timing is critical.

Abstract: A low speed pre-ignition detection, mitigation, and driver notification system and method utilize a controller to analyze a knock signal from a knock sensor to detect LSPI knock of the engine and in response to detecting the LSPI knock, enrich a fuel/air ratio of the engine and limit a torque output of the engine to a level that is less than a maximum torque output of the engine, and when enriching the fuel/air ratio of the engine and limiting the torque output of the engine does not mitigate the LSPI knock, output at least one message for a driver of the vehicle instructing the driver to take remedial action to mitigate the LSPI knock.

Abstract: A low speed pre-ignition detection, mitigation, and driver notification system and method utilize a controller to analyze a knock signal from a knock sensor to detect LSPI knock of the engine and in response to detecting the LSPI knock, enrich a fuel/air ratio of the engine and limit a torque output of the engine to a level that is less than a maximum torque output of the engine, and when enriching the fuel/air ratio of the engine and limiting the torque output of the engine does not mitigate the LSPI knock, output at least one message for a driver of the vehicle instructing the driver to take remedial action to mitigate the LSPI knock.

Abstract: A calibration system and method for a spark ignition engine of a vehicle involve artificially weighting engine dynamometer data in high engine load regions and using it to generate training data for an artificial neutral network (ANN). A plurality of ANNs are trained using the training data and the plurality of ANNs are then filtered based on their maximum error to obtain a filtered set of trained ANNs. A statistical analysis is performed on each of the filtered set of trained ANNs including determining a set of statistical metrics for each of the filtered set of trained ANNs and then one of the filtered set of trained ANNs having a best combination of error at high engine loads and the set of statistical error metrics is then selected. Finally, an ANN calibration is generated using the selected one of the filtered set of trained ANNs.

Abstract: A control system and method for an engine including a turbocharger without a surge valve involve utilizing one or more pressure sensors configured to measure air pressure in an intake system of the engine, the intake system comprising a compressor of the turbocharger and a throttle valve downstream from the compressor, and a controller configured to control the engine to avoid surge at the compressor and eliminate a need for the surge valve by determining a desired position for the throttle valve based on a driver requested engine torque, determining a minimum mass flow through the compressor that avoids surge based on the measured air pressure in the intake system and a predetermined compressor map, and commanding the throttle valve to a target position to maintain at least the minimum compressor mass flow, wherein the target position is greater than the desired position, thereby avoiding surge at the compressor.

Abstract: A calibration system and method for a spark ignition engine of a vehicle involve artificially weighting engine dynamometer data in high engine load regions and using it to generate training data for an artificial neutral network (ANN). A plurality of ANNs are trained using the training data and the plurality of ANNs are then filtered based on their maximum error to obtain a filtered set of trained ANNs. A statistical analysis is performed on each of the filtered set of trained ANNs including determining a set of statistical metrics for each of the filtered set of trained ANNs and then one of the filtered set of trained ANNs having a best combination of error at high engine loads and the set of statistical error metrics is then selected. Finally, an ANN calibration is generated using the selected one of the filtered set of trained ANNs.

Abstract: A power-based control system and method for an engine comprising a turbocharger involve obtaining a set of parameters that each affect exhaust gas energy and using the set of parameters to (i) determine a target mass flow into the engine and a target boost for the turbocharger to achieve a torque request, (ii) determine a target power for a compressor of the turbocharger to achieve the target engine mass flow and the target turbocharger boost, (iii) determine a target pressure ratio and a target mass exhaust flow for the turbine of the turbocharger to achieve a target turbine power equal to the target compressor power, and (iv) determine a target position of the wastegate valve to achieve the target turbine pressure ratio and mass exhaust flow, and commanding a wastegate valve to the target position.

Abstract: A control system and method for an engine including a turbocharger without a surge valve involve utilizing one or more pressure sensors configured to measure air pressure in an intake system of the engine, the intake system comprising a compressor of the turbocharger and a throttle valve downstream from the compressor, and a controller configured to control the engine to avoid surge at the compressor and eliminate a need for the surge valve by determining a desired position for the throttle valve based on a driver requested engine torque, determining a minimum mass flow through the compressor that avoids surge based on the measured air pressure in the intake system and a predetermined compressor map, and commanding the throttle valve to a target position to maintain at least the minimum compressor mass flow, wherein the target position is greater than the desired position, thereby avoiding surge at the compressor.

Abstract: Techniques for setting a boost target for a turbocharged engine comprise (i) operating the engine in a scavenging mode such that opening of intake and exhaust valves of cylinders of the engine overlap and (ii) while transitioning the engine in/out of the scavenging mode: determining an engine torque request, creating a torque reserve by setting independent targets for throttle inlet pressure (TIP) and intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), determining a target TIP based on a target total air charge, engine speed, and a previously-determined target engine volumetric efficiency (VE), controlling a wastegate valve based on the target TIP, determining a target MAP based on the engine torque request, and controlling a throttle valve based on the target MAP. During steady-state scavenging operation, the controller calculates a conventional target TIP based on the engine torque request and controls the wastegate valve based on the conventionally calculated target TIP.

Abstract: Techniques for setting a boost target for a turbocharged engine comprise (i) operating the engine in a scavenging mode such that opening of intake and exhaust valves of cylinders of the engine overlap and (ii) while transitioning the engine in/out of the scavenging mode: determining an engine torque request, creating a torque reserve by setting independent targets for throttle inlet pressure (TIP) and intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), determining a target TIP based on a target total air charge, engine speed, and a previously-determined target engine volumetric efficiency (VE), controlling a wastegate valve based on the target TIP, determining a target MAP based on the engine torque request, and controlling a throttle valve based on the target MAP. During steady-state scavenging operation, the controller calculates a conventional target TIP based on the engine torque request and controls the wastegate valve based on the conventionally calculated target TIP.

Abstract: A power-based control system and method for an engine comprising a turbocharger involve obtaining a set of parameters that each affect exhaust gas energy and using the set of parameters to (i) determine a target mass flow into the engine and a target boost for the turbocharger to achieve a torque request, (ii) determine a target power for a compressor of the turbocharger to achieve the target engine mass flow and the target turbocharger boost, (iii) determine a target pressure ratio and a target mass exhaust flow for the turbine of the turbocharger to achieve a target turbine power equal to the target compressor power, and (iv) determine a target position of the wastegate valve to achieve the target turbine pressure ratio and mass exhaust flow, and commanding a wastegate valve to the target position.

Abstract: An engine bank-to-bank airflow balancing technique includes calculating current and offset volumetric efficiencies of the engine and calculating a slope representing (i) a difference between the offset and current volumetric efficiencies and (ii) a difference between offset and current intake camshaft positions. Based on the respective exhaust gas oxygen concentrations, the technique involves calculating a volumetric efficiency correction corresponding to each cylinder bank and based on the slope and the volumetric efficiency corrections, calculating target intake camshaft position shifts. The technique further involves controlling offsets of the intake camshafts based on the target intake camshaft position shifts.

Abstract: An engine bank-to-bank airflow balancing technique includes calculating current and offset volumetric efficiencies of the engine and calculating a slope representing (i) a difference between the offset and current volumetric efficiencies and (ii) a difference between offset and current intake camshaft positions. Based on the respective exhaust gas oxygen concentrations, the technique involves calculating a volumetric efficiency correction corresponding to each cylinder bank and based on the slope and the volumetric efficiency corrections, calculating target intake camshaft position shifts. The technique further involves controlling offsets of the intake camshafts based on the target intake camshaft position shifts.

Abstract: Wnt-1-Induced Secreted Proteins (WISPs) are provided, whose genes are induced at least by Wnt-1. Also provided are nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides, as well as vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides, and methods for producing the polypeptides.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and materials for observing protein fragments generated during apoptosis in order to observe this process in mammalian cells. Embodiments of the invention can be used for example to observe apoptosis in order to examine the sensitivity of a mammalian cancer cell to apoptosis inducing agents.

Abstract: Wnt-1-Induced Secreted Proteins (WISPs) are provided, whose genes are induced at least by Wnt-1. Also provided are nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides, as well as vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides, and methods for producing the polypeptides.