Abstract: A method for control of an internal combustion engine includes generating, with a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer, an acceleration signal representing vibrations of the internal combustion engine. An engine crank angle signal is generated based on the acceleration signal. The engine crank angle signal is compared with a target value. The internal combustion engine is adjusted based upon the comparing.

Abstract: A method of detecting during a combustion cycle a peak value of pressure in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine includes providing and installing on the engine body an accelerometer that generates an acceleration signal representing vibrations of the engine body. The acceleration signal is filtered by comparing the band-pass filtered replica of the acceleration signal to a threshold. When the threshold is surpassed, a pressure peak is detected and flagged.

Abstract: A control system for an electromechanical-braking system provided with actuator elements configured to actuate braking elements for exerting a braking action has a control stage for controlling the braking action on the basis of a braking reference signal. The control stage comprises a model-based predictive control block, in particular of a generalized predictive self-adaptive control type, operating on the basis of a control quantity representing the braking action. The control system further has: a model-identification stage, which determines parameters identifying a transfer function of the electromechanical-braking system; and a regulation stage, which determines an optimal value of endogenous parameters of the control system on the basis of the value of the identifying parameters.

Abstract: A method of sensing the air/fuel ratio in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that may be easily implemented by a respective low-cost device includes a pressure sensor and a learning machine that generates a sensing signal representing the air/fuel ratio by processing the waveform of the pressure in at least one cylinder of the engine. In practice, the learning machine extracts characteristic parameters of the waveform of the pressure and as a function of a certain number of them generates the sensing signal.

Abstract: A method of sensing the air/fuel ratio in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that may be easily implemented by a respective low-cost device includes a pressure sensor and a learning machine that generates a sensing signal representing the air/fuel ratio by processing the waveform of the pressure in at least one cylinder of the engine. In practice, the learning machine extracts characteristic parameters of the waveform of the pressure and as a function of a certain number of them generates the sensing signal.

Abstract: A method of sensing the air/fuel ratio in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that may be easily implemented by a respective low-cost device includes a pressure sensor and a learning machine that generates a sensing signal representing the air/fuel ratio by processing the waveform of the pressure in at least one cylinder of the engine. In practice, the learning machine extracts characteristic parameters of the waveform of the pressure and as a function of a certain number of them generates the sensing signal.

Abstract: A method of detecting during a combustion cycle a peak value of pressure in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine includes providing and installing on the engine body an accelerometer that generates an acceleration signal representing vibrations of the engine body. The acceleration signal is filtered by comparing the band-pass filtered replica of the acceleration signal to a threshold. When the threshold is surpassed, a pressure peak is detected and flagged.

Abstract: A method for estimating the state of a system, as well as an extended Kalman filter (EKF), allows nonlinear mathematical models to be used for describing the system. Accurate precision is provided since the method is based on an EKF technique while using a filter that implements a first degree Stirling approximation formula. The method may be used for estimating position and speed of a brushless motor, and may be implemented in a relative device. Such a device may be introduced in a control loop of a brushless motor of a power steering system for a vehicle to provide a countering torque on the steering wheel based on speed of the vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle.

Abstract: An embodiment of a control system of a braking device is provided. Said braking device includes at least one braking element adapted to apply a braking action to a moving body. The control system includes receiving means for receiving an indication of a target value of the braking action to be applied to the moving body, measuring means for measuring an indication of an actual value of the braking action applied to the moving body and driving means for driving the braking element according to a comparison between the target value and the actual value. The measuring means includes sensing means for sensing a warping of at least one part of the moving body and/or of the braking device, and logic means for estimating the actual value according to the warping.

Abstract: A method for estimating the state of a system, as well as an extended Kalman filter (EKF), allows nonlinear mathematical models to be used for describing the system. Accurate precision is provided since the method is based on an EKF technique while using a filter that implements a first degree Stirling approximation formula. The method may be used for estimating position and speed of a brushless motor, and may be implemented in a relative device. Such a device may be introduced in a control loop of a brushless motor of a power steering system for a vehicle to provide a countering torque on the steering wheel based on speed of the vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of sensing the air/fuel ratio in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that may be easily implemented by a respective low-cost device includes a pressure sensor and a learning machine that generates a sensing signal representing the air/fuel ratio by processing the waveform of the pressure in at least one cylinder of the engine. In practice, the learning machine extracts characteristic parameters of the waveform of the pressure and as a function of a certain number of them generates the sensing signal.

Abstract: A control system for an electromechanical-braking system provided with actuator elements configured to actuate braking elements for exerting a braking action has a control stage for controlling the braking action on the basis of a braking reference signal. The control stage comprises a model-based predictive control block, in particular of a generalized predictive self-adaptive control type, operating on the basis of a control quantity representing the braking action. The control system further has: a model-identification stage, which determines parameters identifying a transfer function of the electromechanical-braking system; and a regulation stage, which determines an optimal value of endogenous parameters of the control system on the basis of the value of the identifying parameters.

Abstract: A method of sensing the air/fuel ratio in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that may be easily implemented by a respective low-cost device includes a pressure sensor and a learning machine that generates a sensing signal representing the air/fuel ratio by processing the waveform of the pressure in at least one cylinder of the engine. In practice, the learning machine extracts characteristic parameters of the waveform of the pressure and as a function of a certain number of them generates the sensing signal.

Abstract: A soft-computing method for establishing the dissipation law of the heat in a diesel Common Rail engine, in particular for establishing the dissipation mean speed (HRR) of the heat, includes the following steps: choosing a number of Wiebe functions whereon a dissipation speed signal (HRR) of the heat is decomposed; applying a Transform ? to the dissipation speed signal (HRR) of the heat; carrying out analysis of homogeneity of the Transform ? output; realizing a corresponding neural network MLP wherein the design is guided by an evolutive algorithm; and training and testing the neural network MLP.

Abstract: A reliable method of sensing the inlet air flow in a combustion chamber of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine includes assessing the inlet air flow with soft-computing techniques basically exploiting a combustion pressure signal generated by a pressure sensor installed in the cylinder.

Abstract: The amount of fuel to be injected in each cylinder of a multi-cylinder spark ignition internal combustion engine may be determined with enhanced precision if the fuel injection durations are determined as a function of the sensed mass air flow in all the cylinders of the engine, instead of considering only the air flow in the same cylinder. This finding has led to the realization of a more efficient approach of controlling a multi-cylinder spark ignition internal combustion engine and a feedforward control system.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing misfire or partial combustion conditions in an internal combustion engine without using a phonic wheel discriminates the combustion conditions with soft-computing techniques directly exploiting a combustion pressure signal generated by a common pressure sensor installed in the cylinder. There exists an exploitably close correlation between the instantaneous values of the internal cylinder pressure and the occurrence of misfire or partial combustion conditions, and thus the cylinder pressure signal may be reliably used for diagnosing misfires or partial combustions in functioning conditions of the engine.

Abstract: A soft-computing method for establishing the dissipation law of the heat in a diesel Common Rail engine, in particular for establishing the dissipation mean speed (HRR) of the heat, includes the following steps: choosing a number of Wiebe functions whereon a dissipation speed signal (HRR) of the heat is decomposed; applying a Transform ? to the dissipation speed signal (HRR) of the heat; carrying out analysis of homogeneity of the Transform ? output; realizing a corresponding neural network MLP wherein the design is guided by an evolutive algorithm; and training and testing the neural network MLP.

Abstract: The amount of fuel to be injected in each cylinder of a multi-cylinder spark ignition internal combustion engine may be determined with enhanced precision if the fuel injection durations are determined as a function of the sensed mass air flow in all the cylinders of the engine, instead of considering only the air flow in the same cylinder. This finding has led to the realization of a more efficient method of controlling a multi-cylinder spark ignition internal combustion engine and a feedforward control system.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing misfire or partial combustion conditions in an internal combustion engine without using a phonic wheel discriminates the combustion conditions with soft-computing techniques directly exploiting a combustion pressure signal generated by a common pressure sensor installed in the cylinder. There exists an exploitably close correlation between the instantaneous values of the internal cylinder pressure and the occurrence of misfire or partial combustion conditions, and thus the cylinder pressure signal may be reliably used for diagnosing misfires or partial combustions in functioning conditions of the engine.