Abstract: A control module for determining a time and angle based cylinder pressure includes a crankshaft position determination module that determines a first crankshaft position in an engine at a first time, a time-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines N time-based cylinder pressures in the engine at N times, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and an angle-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines an angle-based cylinder pressure at the first crankshaft position based on the first time, the N cylinder pressures, and the N times.

Abstract: A fuel injection system includes an injector control module, a current detection module, and a position determination module. The injector control module controls current through a solenoid of a fuel injector for a predetermined period. The current detection module measures an amount of current through the solenoid after the predetermined period. The position determination module determines whether the fuel injector injected fuel during the predetermined period based on when the amount of current through the solenoid is less than or equal to a predetermined current.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for pressurization of a fuel line of an engine. In one embodiment, a fuel charging system for an engine is provided. The fuel charging system includes a first fuel pump in fluid communication with a fuel tank to generate a first fluid pressure within a first fuel line. The fuel charging system also includes a second fluid pump having a reciprocating piston including a low pressure end and a high pressure end. The low pressure end is in fluid communication with the first fuel pump through the first fuel line and the high pressure end is in fluid communication with an engine fuel rail through a second fuel line. The reciprocating piston is driven by the first fluid pressure to generate a second fluid pressure within the second fuel line, wherein the second fluid pressure is greater than the first fluid pressure.

Abstract: A method and a control module for diagnosing an engine component function includes a comparison module comparing an in-cylinder pressure signal to a threshold and a fault indication module generating a diagnostic signal for an engine component in response to comparing.

Abstract: A control module comprising a cylinder torque determination module that determines an indicated torque for a cylinder in an engine based on a pressure in the cylinder, a cylinder torque balancing module that determines a derivative term for the cylinder based on rotation of a crankshaft, and a cylinder pressure error detection module that detects a pressure error for the cylinder based on the indicated torque and the derivative term. A method comprising determining an indicated torque for a cylinder in an engine based on a pressure in the cylinder, determining a derivative term for the cylinder based on rotation of a crankshaft, and detecting a pressure error for the cylinder based on the indicated torque and the derivative term.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for pressurization of a fuel line of an engine. In one embodiment, a fuel charging system for an engine is provided. The fuel charging system includes a first fuel pump in fluid communication with a fuel tank to generate a first fluid pressure within a first fuel line. The fuel charging system also includes a second fluid pump having a reciprocating piston including a low pressure end and a high pressure end. The low pressure end is in fluid communication with the first fuel pump through the first fuel line and the high pressure end is in fluid communication with an engine fuel rail through a second fuel line. The reciprocating piston is driven by the first fluid pressure to generate a second fluid pressure within the second fuel line, wherein the second fluid pressure is greater than the first fluid pressure.

Abstract: An engine torque control module comprises a derivative module and a cylinder torque module. The derivative module determines a derivative term for a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine based on rotation of a crankshaft and determines an average derivative term for the first cylinder based upon the derivative term. The cylinder torque module determines an operating condition of the first cylinder based on the average derivative term, adjusts a torque output of the first cylinder based on the operating condition, and adjusts a torque output of a second cylinder based on the operating condition.

Abstract: A control module for determining a time and angle based cylinder pressure includes a crankshaft position determination module that determines a first crankshaft position in an engine at a first time, a time-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines N time-based cylinder pressures in the engine at N times, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and an angle-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines an angle-based cylinder pressure at the first crankshaft position based on the first time, the N cylinder pressures, and the N times.

Abstract: A method of correcting a crankshaft position may include determining first, second, and third crankshaft positions, determining first, second, and third cylinder pressures, determining first, second, and third cylinder volumes, determining the logarithm of the first, second, and third cylinder pressures and cylinder volumes, and determining a relationship between the third cylinder volume and the first and second cylinder volumes. The first, second, and third crankshaft positions may be provided during one of a piston expansion stroke and a piston compression stroke within a cylinder. The logarithm of the third cylinder pressure and cylinder volume may be evaluated with respect to a predetermined limit of a line defined by the logarithm of the first and second cylinder pressures and first and second cylinder volumes.

Abstract: An engine torque control system for balancing torque output across cylinders of an internal combustion engine includes a first module that determines a derivative term for each cylinder of the engine based on rotation of a crankshaft. A second module determines a torque correction for a first cylinder based on an average derivative term associated with the first cylinder. The second module adjusts a torque output of the first cylinder based on the torque correction and adjusts a torque output of a second cylinder based on the torque correction.

Abstract: A control module comprising a cylinder torque determination module that determines an indicated torque for a cylinder in an engine based on a pressure in the cylinder, a cylinder torque balancing module that determines a derivative term for the cylinder based on rotation of a crankshaft, and a cylinder pressure error detection module that detects a pressure error for the cylinder based on the indicated torque and the derivative term. A method comprising determining an indicated torque for a cylinder in an engine based on a pressure in the cylinder, determining a derivative term for the cylinder based on rotation of a crankshaft, and detecting a pressure error for the cylinder based on the indicated torque and the derivative term.

Abstract: A method of correcting a crankshaft position may include determining first, second, and third crankshaft positions, determining first, second, and third cylinder pressures, determining first, second, and third cylinder volumes, determining the logarithm of the first, second, and third cylinder pressures and cylinder volumes, and determining a relationship between the third cylinder volume and the first and second cylinder volumes. The first, second, and third crankshaft positions may be provided during one of a piston expansion stroke and a piston compression stroke within a cylinder. The logarithm of the third cylinder pressure and cylinder volume may be evaluated with respect to a predetermined limit of a line defined by the logarithm of the first and second cylinder pressures and first and second cylinder volumes.

Abstract: An engine torque control module comprises a derivative module and a cylinder torque module. The derivative module determines a derivative term for a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine based on rotation of a crankshaft and determines an average derivative term for the first cylinder based upon the derivative term. The cylinder torque module determines an operating condition of the first cylinder based on the average derivative term, adjusts a torque output of the first cylinder based on the operating condition, and adjusts a torque output of a second cylinder based on the operating condition.

Abstract: An engine starting system that regulates a position of a pinion gear of a starter motor between an engaged position and a disengaged position includes a solenoid pinion armature (SPA) that is coupled to the pinion gear and that is movable between a first position and a second position to move the pinion gear between the disengaged position and the engaged position. A damper dampens a velocity of the SPA during movement of the SPA to the second position to inhibit noise generation.

Abstract: An engine starting system that regulates a position of a pinion gear of a starter motor between an engaged position and a disengaged position includes a solenoid pinion armature (SPA) that is coupled to the pinion gear and that is movable between a first position and a second position to move the pinion gear between the disengaged position and the engaged position. A damper dampens a velocity of the SPA during movement of the SPA to the second position to inhibit noise generation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a start-stop “mild hybrid” vehicle with a starting system which utilizes traditional engine and transmission architecture. The present invention separates the pinion actuator solenoid from the starter motor power switching circuit. A power relay is provided to switch the starter motor. The pinion gear in the present invention is pre-shuttled to, and held in mesh with, the flywheel ring gear during engine stop conditions. A “prime current” is then applied to the power relay just below that which is required to energize the power relay. Upon request for an engine start, the current will increase to energize the relay and allow the starter motor to spin. A significant amount of time lag is thusly removed from the starting system permitting an expedient restart and launch. The pinion actuator solenoid in this invention may also have two coils which may be selectively energized.

Abstract: A system and method to control fuel delivery to an engine at startup includes a crank sensor that determines a rotational position of the engine. A control module calculates an air mass of a first cylinder based on the rotational position of the engine and delivers fuel to the first cylinder based on the air mass. The air mass is based on a volume, a pressure and a temperature of the first cylinder.

Abstract: A valve lift sensor detects the position of an engine valve. The valve lift sensor includes a movable target carried on an engine valve and a stationary coil carried within an engine valve assembly. A signal generator energizes the coil with an oscillating voltage to create an oscillating magnetic field, which is concentric to the coil for inductive transfer with the target. A comparator compares the voltage from the signal generator with the voltage at the resistor to determine the phase lag of resistor voltage relative to signal generator voltage and indicate the engine valve position. Using the phase lag, the comparator provides a pulse-width-modulated signal with a duty cycle proportional to the valve lift to an engine valve control operable to control the operation of the engine valve.

Abstract: A method of controlling the braking behavior of various wheels of a vehicle during a normal braking mode of operation and during an antilock braking mode of operation, the method using a control unit which calculates various parameters over a known time increment (t-t.sub.1) the method including the steps of: obtaining a value of the actual rotational velocity of each wheel (W.sub.1,W.sub.2); generating a first signal indicative of braking effort P(in) or desired vehicle deceleration; generating a per wheel velocity command signal the slope or deceleration of which is proportional to the desired vehicle deceleration p(in) and a multiplicative scale factor (ABSG.sub.i +G.sub.I) for adjusting such deceleration during the normal braking mode and antilock braking mode, generating a per wheel error signal Ei as a difference between the wheel velocity command and actual rotational velocity of each wheel; operating upon the error signal Ei to generate a brake activity command signal B.sub.

Abstract: A parking brake system comprising a drum brake (200) comprising two shoes (206) outwardly movable relative to a friction surface of a drum (224); an activation device (220, 222) for generating an activation force to move the shoes outwardly to a first position into contact with the drum sufficiently to prevent the drum; a solenoid activated linkage mechanism (230, 240; 322, 352) is provided for maintaining the shoes substantially in the first position.