Abstract: A direct fuel injection method and an internal combustion engine provided with appropriate sensors and data input lines to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) for performing this method. The method includes inputting at least data inputs representing a piston position, a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, and a torque demand into an ECU, calculating in the ECU a calculated start of injection (SOI) for the direct fuel injection that is next based on the data inputs, calculating based on the data inputs and the calculated SOI a desired fuel temperature prior to the direct fuel injection that is next, heating fuel with a system delay not to exceed 5 seconds to the desired heated fuel temperature prior to a direct fuel injection, injecting the heated fuel, and repeating the aforementioned method steps for subsequent direct fuel injections.

Abstract: Methods and systems for efficiently utilizing a fuel heating system incorporating an exhaust gas recirculation (“EGR”) stream and an EGR cooling system are disclosed. Waste heat energy in an exhaust gas recirculation stream of an engine system is used to heat the fuel being fed to the combustion chambers of the engine. A conventional EGR cooler can be replaced with a fuel heat exchanger/EGR cooler. Utilizing these components allows fuel heating to be accomplished simultaneously with partial EGR gas cooling by using waste EGR heat. This reduces the heat rejection requirement of the engine coolant and also reduces the electrical power requirements of the fuel heater.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for controlling the gear-shifting comfort in motor vehicles having automatic transmissions. The method provides for pressure controllers for controlling clutches affecting the gear-shifting operations of the transmission. The preset values for the torque and/or the torque curves of the clutches are stored in dependence upon the particular gear-shifting operations and the transmission rpms in a characteristic field. The actual acceleration of the motor vehicle is detected with the aid of an acceleration sensor and a very low desired acceleration is used as a guide quantity for the torque control at the clutches. The preset values for the clutches corrected by this control are stored in the characteristic field.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for adjusting the hydraulic pressure actuating at least one clutch of an automatic transmission. The hydraulic pressure is pregiven only by one pressure controller and the automatic transmission coacts with the motor which is especially a drive motor of a motor vehicle. The pressure supplied by the pressure controller is determined in dependence upon the trace of a pregiven motor desired torque.

Abstract: An arrangement for controlling the output torque (M.sub.ab) of an automatic transmission (10) during the sequence of a shift operation in a motor-driven vehicle to a value pregiven by the driver is suggested with the transmission (10) having at least two transmission stages (11, 12) which can be alternately shifted into via clutches (16, 17). During upshifting, the clutch (17) assigned to the higher transmission stage is continuously closed in a time-controlled manner with the motor torque being increased correspondingly for holding the output torque (M.sub.ab) constant. The first clutch (16) is assigned to the lower transmission stage and is opened when this first clutch (16) no longer transmits torque. Thereafter, the second clutch (17) is brought to its synchronous rpm by reducing the motor torque (M.sub.m) and then driven further without slippage. The downshifting operation takes place in a changed sequence in a like manner.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for the current-regulated control of several actuators by a control computer. An individual control transistor is provided for each actuator. A single measuring resistor in series with a further control transistor defines a measuring and control arrangement for all actuators. Each individual control transistor for the respective individual actuators is connected in series with respective resistors. The resistance value of each of the resistors corresponds to the resistance value of the measuring resistor. Furthermore, switching elements are provided and controlled by the control computer. The actuators are connected in series with the measuring and control arrangement for a pregiven measuring and control time by the switchover elements. The actuators are normally in series with the individual control transistors assigned thereto.