Abstract: A method of operating a fuel injector including a piezoelectric actuator having a stack of piezoelectric elements, and wherein in use the injector communicates with a fuel rail, the method comprises: applying a discharge current to the actuator for a discharge period so as to discharge the stack from a first differential voltage level across the stack to a second differential voltage level across the stack; maintaining the second differential voltage level for a period of time; and applying a charge current to the actuator for a charge period so as to charge the stack from the second differential voltage level to a third differential voltage level; wherein the third differential voltage level is selected in dependence on at least two engine parameters, the at least two engine parameters selected from: rail pressure; the electric pulse time; and the piezoelectric stack temperature.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel injector having a piezoelectric actuator that is operable by applying an electrical drive pulse thereto to activate and deactivate the injector. The method includes monitoring an electrical characteristic of the actuator during a predetermined time period, determining a time-domain data sample corresponding to the monitored electrical characteristic during the predetermined time period, determining a frequency spectrum signature corresponding to the time-domain data sample, and comparing the frequency spectrum signature of the monitored electrical characteristic to a predetermined frequency spectrum signature indicative of an injector event.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel injector including a piezoelectric actuator having a stack of piezoelectric elements, and wherein in use the injector communicates with a fuel rail, the method comprises: applying a discharge current to the actuator for a discharge period so as to discharge the stack from a first differential voltage level across the stack to a second differential voltage level across the stack; maintaining the second differential voltage level for a period of time; and applying a charge current to the actuator for a charge period so as to charge the stack from the second differential voltage level to a third differential voltage level; wherein the third differential voltage level is selected in dependence on at least two engine parameters, the at least two engine parameters selected from: rail pressure; the electric pulse time; and the piezoelectric stack temperature.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel injector having a piezoelectric actuator that is operable by applying an electrical drive pulse thereto to activate and deactivate the injector. The method includes monitoring an electrical characteristic of the actuator during a predetermined time period, determining a time-domain data sample corresponding to the monitored electrical characteristic during the predetermined time period, determining a frequency spectrum signature corresponding to the time-domain data sample, and comparing the frequency spectrum signature of the monitored electrical characteristic to a predetermined frequency spectrum signature indicative of an injector event.

Abstract: A process for operating an exhaust gas system comprises: producing an exhaust gas flow, introducing the exhaust gas flow to a system comprising a restricting device in fluid communication with an exhaust emission control device, and an exhaust conduit comprising an exhaust throttle device, restricting the flow of the exhaust gas stream to the restricting device, and discharging the exhaust gas stream from the restricting device into the exhaust emission control device. The flow is sufficiently restricted such that the exhaust gas stream discharged into the exhaust emission control device has a temperature perform a desired function selected from the group consisting of regeneration and light-off.

Abstract: A motor speed controller for an antilock brake system motor driven brake pressure modulator controls the speed during the pressure ramping phase of an antilock brake pressure control cycle by commanding periods of dynamic braking of the motor while the motor current is being controlled to ramp the pressure.

Abstract: The current to the motor of a motor driven pressure modulator of an antilock brake system is controlled at a high value in response to a sensed incipient wheel lock condition so as to rapidly release the brake pressure for a calibrated time period that is a function of wheel parameters to reduce brake pressure by an amount determined to effect a recovery from the incipient wheel lock condition under normal antilock controlled braking. After the calibrated time period, the motor is braked so as to quickly halt its rotation and therefore the rapid pressure reduction by applying a motor brake current to the motor by controlling the motor current in the pressure apply direction. The duration of this rapid reduction of brake pressure and therefore the amount of pressure reduction is independent of a sensed recovery condition of the wheel and is based solely on an open loop calibration value determined to effect wheel recovery from the incipient wheel lock condition.

Abstract: The period of an initial apply motor current in each apply phase of an antilock brake pressure cycle in a motor driven pressure modulator antilock braking system is adaptively controlled following a sensed recovery from an incipient wheel lockup condition to establish substantially a steady state condition relationship between current and pressure before motor current is ramped to ramp brake pressure. The period of the initial apply motor current is made a function of the amount of pressure decrease during a prior release phase portion of the antilock brake cycle to account for the greater increase in brake pressure to the initial reapply value.

Abstract: A schedule of brake pressure ramp rates is provided in a vehicle antilock brake controller as a function of predetermined wheel parameters. The ramp rates associated with the specific values of the wheel parameters are filtered by limiting the changes in ramp rate to a next higher ramp rate from the schedule of rates when the ramp rate called for by the wheel parameters is greater than the present ramp rate and to a next lower ramp rate from the schedule of rates when the ramp rate called for by the wheel parameters is less than the present ramp rate.

Abstract: The motor current in a vehicle antilock brake system motor driven pressure modulator is increased in stepwise fashion to ramp the brake pressure in the apply phase of an antilock braking cycle. At the beginning of each current step as the motor current is increased in stepwise fashion, the motor torque is increased momentarily at least by an amount to assure that the static friction of the pressure modulator is overcome and that motor rotation is initiated. The motor torque is increased to a value to initiate motor rotation at the beginning of each current step by momentarily increasing the motor current to a value greater than the current step value by a predetermined amount that assures that the increase of motor torque exceeds the static friction of the pressure modulator.

Abstract: A system and method determines the rotational speed of a rotating member by determining speed from signals having a frequency directly proportional to the rotational speed. The system provides for the estimation of rotational speed even if no speed signals are detected over a sampling interval.

Abstract: An anti-lock braking control system is described in which the braking pressure cycle is filtered by limiting the minimum time period of each brake pressure cycle. The period from the time a brake pressure release phase is initiated until the next brake pressure release phase is called for is timed. If the time is less than a predetermined value, the brake pressure is held constant until the minimum time period has expired.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the rotational speed of a rotating member is described that determines speed from signals having a frequency directly proportional to the rotational speed. The speed signals are counted during each of successive sampling intervals. At the end of each sampling interval, the rotational speed is determined based on a calculation interval that is the time interval from the next-to-last speed signal generated in the prior sampling interval to the last speed signal generated and the number of speed signals occurring in the calculation interval. The resulting overlapping calculation intervals minimize the influence of one speed signal on successive determinations of rotational speed.