Abstract: A method for air/fuel operation of an engine. The method includes providing a model of the engine. The model represents a relationship between: (1) a signal model LAMBSE, representative of estimated air/fuel ratio of the engine relative to a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio for the engine; and, (2) fuel injected into the cylinder of the engine. Exhaust gas oxygen emission from the engine is measured during operation of such engine. Actual LAMBSE produced by such engine during operation of such engine is produced as a function of such measured oxygen. The actual LAMBSE is compared with the model LAMBSE provided by the model in response to fuel injected into the engine to produce a model error signal. The fuel injected into the engine is adjusted in accordance with the error signal.

Abstract: A method for adapting a vehicle climate control system to a user comfort preference includes performing an adjustment strategy in response to assertion of at least one user-generated signal at less than a predetermined level and during less than a predetermined time interval and performing at least one adaptive strategy in response to assertion of the user-generated signal at greater than the predetermined level during the predetermined time interval.

Abstract: A method for air/fuel operation of an engine. The engine is supplied fuel from both a fuel purging system to purge fuel in a fuel supply and feed such purged fuel to an intake manifold of the engine and a fuel injection system to inject fuel from such fuel supply into a cylinder of such engine. The method includes producing a first air/fuel ratio control signal in accordance with measured exhaust gas oxygen emission from the engine; producing a second air/fuel ratio control signal in accordance with fuel transport delay through the fuel purging system; combining the first and second air/fuel ratio control signals into a composite control signal; and feeding such composite control signal to the fuel injection system. Producing the first air/fuel ratio control signal comprises determining fuel flow rate through the purge system.

Abstract: A temperature and humidity sensor assembly for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle includes a housing for connection to the HVAC system. The temperature and humidity sensor also includes a humidity sensor disposed within the housing and a temperature sensor disposed within the housing. The temperature and humidity sensor further includes a circuit board disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor and for connection to an electronic controller to control the HVAC system.

Abstract: A method of establishing a baseline filter for an air quality sensor in a motor vehicle includes the step of providing an air quality sensor for intake air into an occupant compartment of the motor vehicle. The method also includes the step of establishing a moving baseline for a background signal level from the air quality sensor. The method further includes the step of shutting off intake air into an occupant compartment of the motor vehicle when the background signal level exceeds a certain threshold above the moving baseline, thereby preventing undesired gases in the intake air from reaching occupants in the occupant compartment.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically controlling a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle in order to achieve thermal comfort of an occupant of the automotive vehicle receives a plurality of input signals representative of ambient temperature, sunload, and a set-point temperature. A desired amount of HVAC Work necessary to achieve thermal comfort is determined based on either a target temperature or a model of an occupant's thermal comfort. A controller controls the HVAC system based on the desired amount of HVAC Work.

Abstract: A method is provided of determining windshield fog secondary for automatically controlling a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle. The method includes the steps of determining whether rain is occurring on a windshield of a vehicle, determining a windshield parameter as a function of the rain occurring and determining a temperature difference based on temperature within a cabin of the vehicle and ambient temperature. The method also includes the steps of determining a fog boundary based on the windshield parameter and temperature difference, determining a relative humidity based on the windshield parameter and the temperature difference and fog boundary and determining a fog probability based on the fog boundary relative humidity and a nominal base relative humidity for rain conditions. The method further includes the steps of determining anti-fog actions to be taken based on the fog probability and taking the anti-fog actions determined to control the HVAC system.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a quantity of fuel to be injected into a multi-cylinder, internal combustion engine during each combustion event of the engine includes an air flow sensor for sensing a quantity of air flowing through the engine. An electronic control unit is operative to determine a desired combustion fuel quantity based on the quantity of air flowing through the engine and determine a desired fuel injection quantity based on a previous fuel injection quantity delivered during a previous combustion event and the desired combustion fuel quantity. The control unit is further operative to control the amount of fuel injected into the engine for the current combustion event based on the desired fuel injection quantity.

Abstract: An N.sup.th order infinite impulse response digital filter for long-delay filtering of signals representing a digital input sequence. The N.sup.th order infinite impulse response digital filter is synthesized by cascading in series N first order infinite impulse response filter stages. A filter stage operable on a digital computer with floating point capability is provided and comprises a multiplier which multiplies an input signal with a weighting factor. A summing element provides an output for the filter stage by summing the weighted input signal with a weighted and delayed output signal. A filter operable on a digital computer with fixed point capability is provided and comprises a summing element which sums an input signal with the output of a first multiplier, and the delayed output of a mask element. The output of the summing element is coupled to the input of a second multiplier and to the input of the mask element.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically controlling a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle in order to achieve thermal comfort of an occupant of the automotive vehicle receives a plurality of input signals representative of ambient temperature, sunload, and a set-point temperature. A desired amount of HVAC Work necessary to achieve thermal comfort is determined based on either a target temperature or a model of an occupant's thermal comfort. A controller controls the HVAC system based on the desired amount of HVAC Work.

Abstract: A fuzzy logic algorithm utilizes a single rule to produce a varying output signal. A plurality of input signal values are received from a plurality of sensors. A predetermined combination of a plurality of membership functions in the single fuzzy logic rule are defined in which a first instance of the predetermined combination based on a first set of inputs yields a first output signal defined by a first and second axis. A second instance of the predetermined combination based on a second set of inputs different from the first set of inputs yields a second output signal substantially identical to the first output signal, except the second output signal is shifted along one of the first and second axes. A controller produces digital output signals based on the first and second output signals to produce the varying output signal.

Abstract: Method and system for predicting air discharge temperature in a control system which controls an automotive HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system using a model. The model is based on signals generated by various climate control sensors and actuation outputs to predict air discharge temperature without the need for an additional sensor. The model allows the avoidance of uncomfortable air discharge temperatures to thereby increase passenger comfort.

Abstract: Cyclic variation in combustion of a lean burning engine is reduced by detecting an engine combustion event output such as torsional acceleration in a cylinder (i) at a combustion event (k), using the detected acceleration to predict a target acceleration for the cylinder at the next combustion event (k+1), modifying the target output by a correction term that is inversely proportional to the average phase of the combustion event output of cylinder (i) and calculating a control output such as fuel pulse width or spark timing necessary to achieve the target acceleration for cylinder (i) at combustion event (k+1) based on anti-correlation with the detected acceleration and spill-over effects from fueling.

Abstract: Method and system for modifying the control of an automotive HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) to prevent the formation of cabin temperature stratification. The control algorithm responds to signals generated by various climate control sensors to calculate a value representing the likelihood of stratification. The stratification strategy achieves the following three functions: (1) calculation of the likelihood of stratification, (2) estimation of probable level of stratification, and (3) modification of strategy to dispel stratification. Fuzzy logic calculations are performed based on fuzzy rules and membership functions to provide these functions and to allow the control to be expressed in simple heuristic terms.