Abstract: A direct fuel injection internal combustion engine fluidly coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system is described and includes a plurality of fluidly coupled exhaust purifying devices and an exhaust gas sensor. A method of controlling the engine includes, activating, via a heater controller, a heating element of the exhaust gas sensor in response to starting the internal combustion engine. An exhaust gas feedstream is monitored to determine a temperature of the exhaust gas sensor. Engine control to effect heating of one of the exhaust purifying devices is permitted only when a temperature of the exhaust gas sensor is greater than a threshold temperature.

Abstract: A control apparatus for operating a fuel injector is provided. The control apparatus includes an electronic control unit configured to: identify when the engine is running under a fuel cut-off condition, and then perform a learning procedure to determine an actual value of energizing time that causes the fuel injector to inject a target fuel quantity. The learning procedure provides for the electronic control unit to perform several test injections with different energizing time values and measure an engine torque value caused by the test injection. The measured engine torque values and their correspondent energizing time values are used to extrapolate the actual value of the energizing time as the value that corresponds to a reference value of engine torque that is consistent with the target fuel quantity.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection internal combustion engine fluidly coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system is described and includes a plurality of fluidly coupled exhaust purifying devices and an exhaust gas sensor. A method of controlling the engine includes, activating, via a heater controller, a heating element of the exhaust gas sensor in response to starting the internal combustion engine. An exhaust gas feedstream is monitored to determine a temperature of the exhaust gas sensor. Engine control to effect heating of one of the exhaust purifying devices is permitted only when a temperature of the exhaust gas sensor is greater than a threshold temperature.

Abstract: A control apparatus for operating a fuel injector is provided. The control apparatus includes an electronic control unit configured to: identify when the engine is running under a fuel cut-off condition, and then perform a learning procedure to determine an actual value of energizing time that causes the fuel injector to inject a target fuel quantity. The learning procedure provides for the electronic control unit to perform several test injections with different energizing time values and measure an engine torque value caused by the test injection. The measured engine torque values and their correspondent energizing time values are used to extrapolate the actual value of the energizing time as the value that corresponds to a reference value of engine torque that is consistent with the target fuel quantity.

Abstract: A method is provided to diagnose a fault in a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine. The method includes, but is not limited to commanding an injection pulse for injecting a test quantity of fuel into an engine cylinder, determining the torque released to an engine crankshaft due to the injection pulse, calculating the difference between this released torque and an expected value for the torque, and of detecting a fault in the fuel injection system if the difference exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A method is provided for the detection of a component malfunction along the life of an Internal Combustion Engine. The engine, having at least a cylinder and being controlled by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), the method includes, but is not limited to defining a pre-determined component malfunction classifier at the start of engine life and setting the classifier as active classifier, defining a validity condition for said active classifier, acquiring in real time a set of relevant signals relating to the operation of the component, feeding the signals to said active classifier in order to determine the occurrence or not of a malfunction of the component, and in case the validity condition of said actual classifier is not satisfied, defining a new classifier using the most recent relevant signals recorded by the ECU, and substituting the actual classifier with the new classifier.

Abstract: A method is provided for the detection of a component malfunction along the life of an Internal Combustion Engine. The engine, having at least a cylinder and being controlled by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), the method includes, but is not limited to defining a pre-determined component malfunction classifier at the start of engine life and setting the classifier as active classifier, defining a validity condition for said active classifier, acquiring in real time a set of relevant signals relating to the operation of the component, feeding the signals to said active classifier in order to determine the occurrence or not of a malfunction of the component, and in case the validity condition of said actual classifier is not satisfied, defining a new classifier using the most recent relevant signals recorded by the ECU, and substituting the actual classifier with the new classifier.

Abstract: A method is provided to diagnose a fault in a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine. The method includes, but is not limited to commanding an injection pulse for injecting a test quantity of fuel into an engine cylinder, determining the torque released to an engine crankshaft due to the injection pulse, calculating the difference between this released torque and an expected value for the torque, and of detecting a fault in the fuel injection system if the difference exceeds a threshold.