Abstract: A device for thermal control of a battery system includes a heating control module electrically connected to the battery system and a conversion device configured to control power output from the battery system. The heating control module is configured to measure a current through the conversion device, the measured current provided by the battery system of a vehicle during vehicle operation or provided by an energy source during vehicle charging. The heating control module is also configured to control the conversion device to generate an alternating current (AC) heating current using the measured current, and apply the AC heating current to the battery system to heat the battery system to a desired temperature.

Abstract: A device for thermal control of a battery system includes a heating control module electrically connected to the battery system and a conversion device configured to control power output from the battery system. The heating control module is configured to measure a current through the conversion device, the measured current provided by the battery system of a vehicle during vehicle operation or provided by an energy source during vehicle charging. The heating control module is also configured to control the conversion device to generate an alternating current (AC) heating current using the measured current, and apply the AC heating current to the battery system to heat the battery system to a desired temperature.

Abstract: A system in an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft includes two or more subsystems. Each subsystem includes an energy storage systems (ESS). Each ESS is coupled to one or more motors that actuate one or more rotors of the eVTOL aircraft and includes one or more energy sub-packs and one or more power sub-packs. The one or more power sub-packs supply more power than the one or more energy sub-packs and the one or more energy sub-packs supply consistent power for a longer duration than the one or more power sub-packs. The system also includes one or more inter-subsystem switches to electrically isolate or connect adjacent ones of the two or more subsystems.

Abstract: Rolling engine start-stop (RESS) system and methods for a vehicle include a set of sensors configured to measure a set of operating parameters of the vehicle comprising at least (i) driver input via brake pedal of the vehicle, (ii) vehicle speed, and (iii) a steering angle of the vehicle and a controller configured to, based on the set of operating parameters, determine a target vehicle speed for stopping an engine of the vehicle, and based on the steering angle of the vehicle, selectively stopping the engine of the vehicle when the vehicle speed falls to the determined target vehicle speed, wherein stopping the engine of the vehicle at the determined target vehicle speed decreases noise/vibration/harshness (NVH) caused by stopping the engine.

Abstract: A predictive driver intention to stop (DITS) system for a vehicle having an engine includes one or more sensors configured to measure a set of operating parameters of the vehicle including at least (i) vehicle speed and (ii) vehicle deceleration rate. A controller is configured to identify no-stop braking events and complete stop braking events, and reference a generated baseline probability table indicating a probability of a driver braking to bring the vehicle to a stop, based on at least the vehicle speed and vehicle deceleration rate measured during at least one of the identified no-stop braking events and complete stop braking events. The controller is further configured to predict a DITS event based on the generated baseline probability table, and control operation of the engine based on the predicted DITS event to facilitate reducing vehicle fuel consumption and/or tailpipe emissions.

Abstract: A combustion control method and system for an engine of a vehicle comprises a controller configured to access a trained feedforward artificial neural network configured to model a volumetric efficiency (VE) of the engine based on measured engine speed, engine intake manifold absolute pressure, intake and exhaust camshaft positions, intake air temperature, and engine coolant temperature, generate a base VE of the engine using the trained feedforward artificial neural network and the measured parameters, estimate an air charge mass flowing to each cylinder of the engine based on the base VE of the engine, and control combustion in the cylinders of the engine based on the estimated air charge mass to improve at least one of combustion stability, torque response, and fuel economy.

Abstract: A combustion control system for an engine of a vehicle includes an ion sensing system configured to generate an ion current signal indicative of a measured current across electrodes of a spark plug associated with a cylinder of the engine and a controller configured to monitor for peaks in the ion current signal and, upon detecting at least a first peak and a second peak in the ion current signal, estimate a location of peak pressure (LPP) based on the detected second peak in the ion current signal, estimate an angle (CA50) of a crankshaft of the engine at which approximately 50% of the heat generated during combustion in the cylinder of the engine is released, and control combustion phasing of the engine based on the estimated CA50 angle.

Abstract: Engine combustion phasing control techniques utilize a trained feedforward artificial neural network (ANN) to model both base and maximum brake torque (MBT) spark timing based on six inputs: intake and exhaust camshaft positions, mass and temperature of an air charge being provided to each cylinder of the engine, engine speed, engine coolant temperature. The selected target spark timing could be adjusted based on a two-dimensional surface having engine speed and air charge mass as inputs. The target spark timing adjustment could be performed only during an initial period when the trained ANN is immature. The ANN could also be trained using dynamometer data for the engine that is artificially weighted for high load regions where accuracy of spark timing is critical.

Abstract: A calibration system and method for a spark ignition engine of a vehicle involve artificially weighting engine dynamometer data in high engine load regions and using it to generate training data for an artificial neutral network (ANN). A plurality of ANNs are trained using the training data and the plurality of ANNs are then filtered based on their maximum error to obtain a filtered set of trained ANNs. A statistical analysis is performed on each of the filtered set of trained ANNs including determining a set of statistical metrics for each of the filtered set of trained ANNs and then one of the filtered set of trained ANNs having a best combination of error at high engine loads and the set of statistical error metrics is then selected. Finally, an ANN calibration is generated using the selected one of the filtered set of trained ANNs.

Abstract: A calibration system and method for a spark ignition engine of a vehicle involve artificially weighting engine dynamometer data in high engine load regions and using it to generate training data for an artificial neutral network (ANN). A plurality of ANNs are trained using the training data and the plurality of ANNs are then filtered based on their maximum error to obtain a filtered set of trained ANNs. A statistical analysis is performed on each of the filtered set of trained ANNs including determining a set of statistical metrics for each of the filtered set of trained ANNs and then one of the filtered set of trained ANNs having a best combination of error at high engine loads and the set of statistical error metrics is then selected. Finally, an ANN calibration is generated using the selected one of the filtered set of trained ANNs.

Abstract: Techniques for setting a boost target for a turbocharged engine comprise (i) operating the engine in a scavenging mode such that opening of intake and exhaust valves of cylinders of the engine overlap and (ii) while transitioning the engine in/out of the scavenging mode: determining an engine torque request, creating a torque reserve by setting independent targets for throttle inlet pressure (TIP) and intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), determining a target TIP based on a target total air charge, engine speed, and a previously-determined target engine volumetric efficiency (VE), controlling a wastegate valve based on the target TIP, determining a target MAP based on the engine torque request, and controlling a throttle valve based on the target MAP. During steady-state scavenging operation, the controller calculates a conventional target TIP based on the engine torque request and controls the wastegate valve based on the conventionally calculated target TIP.

Abstract: Techniques for setting a boost target for a turbocharged engine comprise (i) operating the engine in a scavenging mode such that opening of intake and exhaust valves of cylinders of the engine overlap and (ii) while transitioning the engine in/out of the scavenging mode: determining an engine torque request, creating a torque reserve by setting independent targets for throttle inlet pressure (TIP) and intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), determining a target TIP based on a target total air charge, engine speed, and a previously-determined target engine volumetric efficiency (VE), controlling a wastegate valve based on the target TIP, determining a target MAP based on the engine torque request, and controlling a throttle valve based on the target MAP. During steady-state scavenging operation, the controller calculates a conventional target TIP based on the engine torque request and controls the wastegate valve based on the conventionally calculated target TIP.

Abstract: A control system and method utilize an exhaust oxygen (O2) sensor and a controller configured to operate a turbocharged engine in a scavenging mode, and while the operating the engine in the scavenging mode: command a target in-cylinder air/fuel ratio (FA) for achieving a target exhaust gas FA, adjust the measurement of the exhaust O2 sensor based on a scavenging ratio and the target in-cylinder FA to obtain a modified O2 concentration, adjust an exhaust system temperature modeled by a thermal model to obtain a modified exhaust system temperature, and adjust the target in-cylinder FA based on the modified O2 concentration and the modified exhaust system temperature.

Abstract: A control system and method utilize an intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP) and an engine speed (RPM) sensor and a controller configured to obtain a model surface relating various measurements of the RPM sensor and valve overlap durations to modeled scavenging ratios of an engine, obtain a calibrated multiplier surface relating various measurements of the MAP and RPM sensors to measured scavenging ratios of the engine, determine a modeled scavenging ratio of the engine based on the measured engine speed and a known overlap duration using the model surface, determine a scavenging ratio multiplier based on the measured MAP and measured engine speed using the calibrated multiplier surface, determine the scavenging ratio of the engine by multiplying the modeled scavenging ratio by the scavenging ratio multiplier, and control the engine based on the scavenging ratio.