Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. Each fuel injector in the system is operated to perform a predetermined injection pattern per engine cycle. A signal representative of a fuel pressure within the fuel rail during the operation of the fuel injectors is sampled. A Fourier analysis of the fuel rail pressure signal is performed to determine one or more harmonic components thereof. The determined harmonic components of the fuel rail pressure signal are used to calculate a dynamic fuel quantity that flows through a fuel injector during an injection pulse of the injection pattern. A fuel quantity actually injected by the fuel injector during the injection pulse as a function of the dynamic fuel quantity is calculated.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for a digital inlet valve having a shutter moveable between a closed and an open position and actuated by a linear electromagnetic actuator including a movable needle located inside a coil winding connected to a power source by a first electronic switch. An electric current is supplied to the coil winding. A parameter indicative of a movement of the needle is monitored. The electric current supply is adjusted when the monitored parameter exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method and control apparatus are disclosed for operating a fuel-metering valve associated to a fuel pump arranged to supply fuel into a fuel rail, the fuel-metering valve having a valve member and an electric actuator arranged to move that member for regulating a fuel flow-rate. The control apparatus includes an electronic control unit connected to the fuel-metering valve and configured to implement a method of control using a target value, a nominal function corrected value to set an adjustable parameter of a control signal for the fuel-metering valve.

Abstract: A method of controlling the fuel rail pressure of a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. A failure condition of a fuel rail pressure sensor is detected. A fuel rail pressure target value and an injector fuel output target value are determined on the basis of an internal combustion engine operating condition. A fuel pump output target value to be supplied into the fuel rail is determined. The fuel pump is driven in order to provide the fuel pump output target value. The fuel pump output target value is determined on the basis of the injector fuel output target value, and the fuel injector is energized for an energizing time target value determined on the basis of the fuel rail pressure target value and the injector fuel output target value.

Abstract: A method for automatically operating a cam-driven pump is disclosed. The pump is monitored to determine whether a specified detachment condition or potential detachment of an actuator of the pump from a driving cam is occurring. The pump is operated in a minimal pressure holding mode to provide a minimal pressure within a working chamber of the pump so as to bias the actuator towards the cam if it is determined that the detachment condition is occurring.

Abstract: A method of determining the timing and quantity of fuel injection to operate an internal combustion engine is disclosed. While operating the fuel injector to perform a fuel injection; a signal of a fuel pressure within the fuel rail during the fuel injection is sampled. The signal is used to determine first and second integral transforms yielding as output a value of first and second functions having as variables the fuel rail pressure drop caused by the fuel injection and the timing parameter indicative of the instant when the fuel injection started. Values of the first and second functions are used to calculate a value of the fuel rail pressure drop caused by the fuel injection and a value of the timing parameter. A value of a fuel quantity injected by the fuel injection is calculated as a function of the value of the fuel rail pressure drop.

Abstract: A method to minimize common rail pressure irregularities due to aliasing effect on battery voltage monitoring in a digital electronic control unit that is capable of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) regulations of a metering valve unit in a diesel common-rail power-train system. At least an engine rotary speed signal is detected and at least a battery voltage signal is monitored, the method includes, but is not limited to calculating the aliasing frequency on said battery voltage signal as a function of said engine rotary speed signal, filtering the battery voltage signal before it is input to said controller module with at least one digital non-linear notch filter, the at least one digital non-linear notch filter centered about the first harmonic of the aliasing frequency, and input the filtered battery voltage signal, at least with the engine rotary speed signal, to the controller module for PWM regulating the metering valve unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. Each fuel injector in the system is operated to perform a predetermined injection pattern per engine cycle. A signal representative of a fuel pressure within the fuel rail during the operation of the fuel injectors is sampled. A Fourier analysis of the fuel rail pressure signal is performed to determine one or more harmonic components thereof. The determined harmonic components of the fuel rail pressure signal are used to calculate a dynamic fuel quantity that flows through a fuel injector during an injection pulse of the injection pattern. A fuel quantity actually injected by the fuel injector during the injection pulse as a function of the dynamic fuel quantity is calculated.

Abstract: A method is provided for measuring a resistance value of a resistive component, which provides for connecting a pull up resistance, in series to the component and supplying a first voltage value to a free end of the pull up resistance and a second lower voltage value to a free end of the component, monitoring a signal indicative of a voltage value between the component and the pull up resistance, determining the difference between the monitored signal and a generated PWM signal having a high voltage value and low voltage value, integrating the difference, obtaining an output signal, varying a duty cycle of the PWM signal based on the variation over time of the output signal, acquiring a duty cycle of the PWM signal, and determining the resistance value of the resistive component based on the duty cycle value and of the pull up resistance value.

Abstract: A method and control apparatus are disclosed for operating a fuel-metering valve associated to a fuel pump arranged to supply fuel into a fuel rail, the fuel-metering valve having a valve member and an electric actuator arranged to move that member for regulating a fuel flow-rate. The control apparatus includes an electronic control unit connected to the fuel-metering valve and configured to implement a method of control using a target value, a nominal function corrected value to set an adjustable parameter of a control signal for the fuel-metering valve.

Abstract: A control method is provided for using a feed forward technique. The method includes, but is not limited to using a setpoint value of a controlled variable to calculate a compensation of the closed loop static error, summing said contribution to the setpoint value, operating an estimation of the closed loop error to obtain a feed forward contribution.

Abstract: A method is provided to minimize common rail pressure irregularities due to aliasing effect on battery voltage monitoring in a digital electronic control unit that is capable of PWM regulations of a metering valve unit in a diesel common-rail power-train system. At least an engine rotary speed signal is detected and at least a battery voltage signal is monitored, the method includes, but is not limited to calculating the aliasing frequency on said battery voltage signal as a function of said engine rotary speed signal, filtering the battery voltage signal before it is input to said controller module with at least one digital non-linear notch filter, the at least one digital non-linear notch filter substantially centered on the first harmonic of the aliasing frequency, and input the filtered battery voltage signal, at least with the engine rotary speed signal, to the controller module for PWM regulating the metering valve unit.

Abstract: A method is provided for measuring a resistance value of a resistive component, which provides for connecting a pull up resistance, in series to the component and supplying a first voltage value to a free end of the pull up resistance and a second lower voltage value to a free end of the component, monitoring a signal indicative of a voltage value between the component and the pull up resistance, determining the difference between the monitored signal and a generated PWM signal having a high voltage value and low voltage value, integrating the difference, obtaining an output signal, varying a duty cycle of the PWM signal based on the variation over time of the output signal, acquiring a duty cycle of the PWM signal, and determining the resistance value of the resistive component based on the duty cycle value and of the pull up resistance value.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes, but is not limited to the steps of driving in an on-off manner in a period of time an electronic switch in series with a respective glow plug between the terminals of a d.c. voltage supply, sensing the glow plug voltage and the glow plug current, generating analogue sense signals representative of the time integral of the glow plug voltage and current, generating analogue reference signals corresponding to the digital values of corresponding control words, comparing the sense signals to the respective reference signals and modifying the corresponding control words so as to minimize the difference between the sense signals and the reference signals, calculating the average values of the sensed voltage and current on the basis of the values of the control words at the beginning and at the end of the “on” time of the electronic switch.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a glow plug (GP) associated with a cylinder chamber of a Diesel engine. The method includes, but is not limited to the steps of driving in an on-off manner in a period of time an electronic switch (M) connected essentially in series with the glow plug (GP) between the terminals of a d.c. voltage supply (B), sensing the voltage (V) across the glow plug (GP) and the current (I) flowing through the glow plug (GP) and performing a voltage closed loop control for controlling the temperature of the glow plug (GP). The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of calculating a normalized current error (?I) as a function of said sensed current (I), calculating a normalized voltage error (?V) as a function of said sensed voltage (V), calculating a weight function (K) as a function of predetermined parameters (?, ?, n) and calculating a global error (?) as a function of said normalized current error (?I), normalized voltage error (?V) and weight function (K).

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a glow plug (GP) associated with a cylinder chamber of a Diesel engine. The method includes, but is not limited to the steps of driving in an on-off manner in a period of time an electronic switch (M) connected essentially in series with the glow plug (GP) between the terminals of a d.c. voltage supply (B), sensing the voltage (V) across the glow plug (GP) and the current (I) flowing through the glow plug (GP) and performing a voltage closed loop control for controlling the temperature of the glow plug (GP). The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of calculating a normalized current error (?I) as a function of said sensed current (I), calculating a normalized voltage error (?V) as a function of said sensed voltage (V), calculating a weight function (K) as a function of predetermined parameters (?, ?, n) and calculating a global error (?) as a function of said normalized current error (?I), normalized voltage error (?V) and weight function (K).

Abstract: A method is provided that includes, but is not limited to the steps of driving in an on-off manner in a period of time an electronic switch in series with a respective glow plug between the terminals of a d.c. voltage supply, sensing the glow plug voltage and the glow plug current, generating analogue sense signals representative of the time integral of the glow plug voltage and current, generating analogue reference signals corresponding to the digital values of corresponding control words, comparing the sense signals to the respective reference signals and modifying the corresponding control words so as to minimize the difference between the sense signals and the reference signals, calculating the average values of the sensed voltage and current on the basis of the values of the control words at the beginning and at the end of the “on” time of the electronic switch.