Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle that includes a passenger is described. In one example, the method adjusts vehicle suspension and exhaust system sound in response to characteristics of the passenger that are monitored via a camera and a microphone. The method may operate the vehicle suspension and exhaust system in a way that soothes the passenger.

Abstract: A system for monitoring operation of an internal combustion engine having a rocker arm assembly for actuating an engine valve is disclosed. The rocker arm assembly includes a first arm with a first end, a second arm also having a first end pivotally connected near the first end of the first arm along a pivot axle, at least one torsion spring coiled around an end of the pivot axle, a latch that when latched secures the first arm relative to the second arm in a latched mode, and when unlatched allows the first arm to move relative to the second arm in an unlatched mode. The system also employs a sensor attached to one of the first and second arms that can detect when the arms are moving relative to each other, and adapted to provide a signal indicating the sensed movement.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes an engine with a plurality of pistons housed in respective ones of a plurality of cylinders, an air intake system to provide air to the plurality of cylinders through respective ones of a plurality of intake valves, an exhaust system to release exhaust gas from the plurality of cylinders through respective one of a plurality of exhaust valves. A valve train is provided for cylinder deactivation of a first part of the plurality of cylinders and compression release braking on a second part of the plurality of cylinders.

Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle that includes a passenger is described. In one example, the method adjusts vehicle suspension and exhaust system sound in response to characteristics of the passenger that are monitored via a camera and a microphone. The method may operate the vehicle suspension and exhaust system in a way that sooths the passenger.

Abstract: A driving-side rotating body that rotates synchronously with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, a driven-side rotating body that is allowed to rotate relative to the driven-side rotating body and that rotates integrally with a camshaft that opens and closes an intake valve, and a phase adjustment mechanism for setting a relative rotation phase of the driving-side rotating body and the driven-side rotating body using a driving force of an electric motor are included. The phase adjustment mechanism is configured to be able to execute retarding control for setting the relative rotation phase to the retarding side until reaching a phase in which the internal combustion engine cannot be started and autonomous running is not possible even if fuel injection and ignition are performed in the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A system for monitoring operation of an internal combustion engine having a rocker arm assembly for actuating an engine valve is disclosed. The rocker arm assembly includes a first arm with a first end, a second arm also having a first end pivotally connected near the first end of the first arm, a latch that when latched secures the first arm relative to the second arm in a latched mode, and when unlatched allows the first arm to move relative to the second arm in an unlatched mode. The system also employing a sensor attached to one of the first and second arms that can detect when the arms are moving relative to each other, and adapted to provide a signal indicating the sensed movement.

Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1) having four cylinders is provided with an EGR device (3) including an EGR cooler (27). The multi-cylinder internal combustion engine has: four exhaust side branch conduits (15) each being provided to each cylinder (2); a storage tank (31) which stores condensed water (CW) generated by the EGR cooler (27); and four condensed water introduction conduits (33) each being provided to each exhaust side branch conduit (15) and being communicated with the exhaust side branch conduit (15) and the storage tank (31). When the wall temperature of the cylinders (2) in the decelerating operation is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature, an exhaust-side variable valve mechanism (23B) and an intake-side variable valve mechanism (23A) are controlled respectively so that the valve closing timing of an exhaust valve (21) is retarded, and the valve opening timing of an intake valve (20) is retarded.

Abstract: A vehicle monitoring system for turning off an idling engine comprises a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a lack of motion, or “stationary status” of a vehicle and emit a parameter correlated to the motion status of the vehicle, a transmission status detector configured to detect a transmission status of the vehicle, an alerting device capable of warning other drivers of a stationary status of the vehicle and a control device. The control device is coupled to the vehicle speed sensor, the transmission status detector and the alerting device, wherein the vehicle speed sensor and the transmission status detector send a signal to the control device and the control device operates in a manner dependent on the motion status of the vehicle and the transmission status of the vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for actuating engine valves for positive power and engine braking operation are disclosed. The systems may include a self-lashing hydraulic piston slidably disposed in a fixed or rocker arm housing. The hydraulic piston may have an internal cavity in which a motion absorbing piston is disposed. A hydraulic fluid source may communicate with the hydraulic piston bore. A check valve which may be incorporated in a control valve may controls hydraulic fluid supply from the hydraulic fluid source to the hydraulic piston to provide self-lashing operation of the valve actuation system.

Abstract: An inspection system for a continuous variable valve lift device includes: a drive motor configured to rotate a cam; a sensor unit including at least one sensor configured to output an electrical signal corresponding to rotational displacements at both ends of a swing arm which opens and closes a valve by receiving rotational motion of the cam through the continuous variable valve lift device; and an inspector configured to measure and inspect a valve lift of the continuous variable valve lift device by receiving and calculating the electrical signal of the sensor unit, and is installed in a vehicle engine assembly line to accurately measure and inspect the valve lift after the continuous variable valve lift device is assembled.

Abstract: A system for optimizing engine braking power is provided. The system includes an intake manifold configured to receive air from a compressed air source. The system includes an engine brake associated with a power source. The system also includes a bleed valve configured to bleed a portion of the air from the intake manifold. The system further includes a controller in communication with the bleed valve and configured to receive a status of the engine brake. The controller is configured to activate the bleed valve to bleed a portion of the air from the intake manifold based at least in part on the engine brake being active and based at least in part on a pre-determined relationship between an air pressure in the intake manifold and one or more parameters associated with the power source.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, an engine is operated in a skip cylinder engine braking mode. In the skip cylinder engine braking mode, selected working cycles of selected working chambers are deactivated. Other selected working cycles of the selected working chambers are operated in a braking mode. Accordingly, individual working chambers are sometimes deactivated and sometimes operated in the braking mode while the engine is operating in the skip cylinder engine braking mode. Various methods for cylinder control are described, which improve fuel economy, catalytic converter performance, and vehicle NVH characteristics.

Abstract: An engine assembly may include an engine structure, a piston, a first valve and a first valve actuation assembly. The engine structure may define a combustion chamber and a first port in communication with the combustion chamber. The piston may be located within the combustion chamber and be reciprocally displaceable between a top dead center position and bottom dead center position. The first valve may selectively open and close the first port. The first valve actuation assembly may be engaged with the first valve and be operable in first and second modes. The first valve actuation assembly may be operated in the first mode when fuel is provided to the combustion chamber and operated in the second mode when fuel is cutoff from the combustion chamber. The first mode and second modes may provide different opening durations of the first valve in order to reduce vacuum in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: When the internal combustion engine is in an injection-free operating mode, a selected injector is open for injecting a small fuel amount, whereby at least one working cycle with injector control follows or precedes one cycle without control, a differential of two subsequent segment times of the cylinder associated with the selected injector or another variable, that reproduces a temporal crankshaft angle speed modification, is determined as a measurement value respectively for the cycle with and without control, and a relation is formed between the values of the cycles with or without control and used to correct the injection characteristic curve. The engine operates with active ignition and the value for the cycle with control is tested by taking into account ignition faults and the relation is only used to correct the curve if the value in the cycle with control significantly deviates from the one without control.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine (10) includes intake valve control means (50). The internal combustion engine (10) includes a variable intake valve operating mechanism (66) that changes a valve opening characteristic of an intake valve (64), and rich combustion is performed in the internal combustion engine (10) to control an exhaust gas purification catalyst (24) disposed in an exhaust passage (18). The intake valve control means (50) controls the valve opening characteristic of the intake valve (64) to increase a flow rate of intake air in an early stage of an intake stroke when the rich combustion is performed, as compared to when non-rich combustion is performed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for monitoring cylinder valve deactivation in an engine operating with a plurality of cylinder valves. One example method comprises, sensing a plurality of cylinder valve positions of a plurality of cylinder valves; and combining the plurality of sensed positions to form a combined cylinder valve signal. The method may further include identifying valve degradation and differentiating valve degradation among the plurality of cylinder valves based on the combined cylinder valve signal and an expected value of the signal, and further based on a crank angle at which the expected value differs from the combined signal.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

Abstract: An intake amount control apparatus of an internal combustion engine in accordance with the invention includes a control portion that controls an opening amount of a throttle valve provided in an intake passageway of the internal combustion engine and operation of a lift amount changing mechanism capable of changing a lift amount of an intake valve. The control portion controls the operation of the lift amount changing mechanism so that, prior to execution of a fuel cut control at the time of an engine deceleration, the lift amount of in intake valve becomes smaller than at the time of a normal engine idle operation where the fuel cut control is not executed.

Abstract: A method of triggering the exhaust flaps in an exhaust system is used whereby a vacuum storage device is connected via a nonreturn valve to an intake system. The vacuum storage device is connected to an exhaust system via a triggerable solenoid valve (13) in parallel with the intake system. The triggerable solenoid valve is triggerable by an engine control unit. The triggering variable is determined in the engine control unit by at least one engine characteristics map, which includes the rotational speed, engine load and engaged gear.

Abstract: An engine (10) having a control system (24) that executes a control strategy (44) for limiting engine fueling upon deactivation of an engine retarder. Upon deactivation of the retarder, the strategy immediately shuts off fueling by setting the maximum fueling limit MFLMX to zero via setting of a latch function (42). Fueling continues to be shut off so long as the difference between a desired pressure for the hydraulic fluid used to force fuel into the engine combustion chambers and actual pressure of the hydraulic fluid (ICP_ERR) equals or exceeds a value (ICP_VRE_ERR) from a map (48) correlated both with the speed (N) at which the engine is running and with governed engine fueling (MFGOV) appropriate for the load on the engine at the engine running speed. Once that difference ceases to equal or exceed a value from the map (48), the latch function is reset, and the limit value for fueling provided by the strategy increases withtime according to a map (54).

Abstract: A reciprocating internal combustion engine using poppet valves, valve timing control and fuel injection, cuts off fuel during engine deceleration and controls valve timing such that charge is trapped in the engine cylinders while the fuel is shut off.

Abstract: In an engine brake for a multicylinder Diesel engine having a cylinder head with at least one exhaust or decompression valve for each cylinder for controlling the discharge of gases from the cylinder, a high pressure fuel injection system with a common fuel supply line for distributing fuel under pressure to the various cylinders and with at least one camshaft-operated plug-in fuel pump for supplying fuel under pressure to the common fuel supply line, an engine brake actuating system is provided which includes, for every two cylinders operating at a 360.degree. crankshaft phase difference, a plug-in pump which concurrently operates the exhaust or decompression valves of the associated two cylinders, one at the end of its compression stroke and the other at the end of its exhaust stroke.

Abstract: An injection system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders is known which has a hydraulic pump with a delivery outlet to which a delivery line common to the cylinders is connected, and a plurality of injection units each of which is associated with a different cylinder and, in normal drive operation, can be controlled pulsewise by connection with the delivery line. There is also known an exhaust-brake system having a plurality of decompression valves each of which is associated with a different cylinder and, in brake operation, can be controlled pulsewise outside the exhaust stroke, in particular at the end of the compression stroke, by alternate pressure action on and pressure relief of the hydraulic actuating element. The purpose is to create a system with which, at little expense and at favorable cost, the "injection" and "exhaust-brake" functions can be satisfied.

Abstract: The present invention proceeds from an engine brake for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with decompression valves actuatable by pressurization of hydraulic pistons outside of the exhaust stroke of the working piston of the internal combustion engine, in particular at the end of the compression stroke. A radial piston pump is provided with internally supported radial pistons. The pump housing has a first housing section with the radial pistons, and a space for the eccentric which controls the radial pistons and a second housing section with the control outputs.

Abstract: In an arrangement for controlling the flow of compressed air from a cylinder of a Diesel engine which includes a decompression valve mounted on a cylinder to permit the discharge of compressed air from the cylinder into a discharge passage, the decompression valve is operable by high pressure fuel admitted to an operating cylinder of the decompression valve via a control line including a magnetic control valve for the admission of fuel from a high pressure fuel distribution duct from which fuel is also supplied to the engine fuel injectors via an injection pipe which also includes a magnetic control valve, and both control valves are operable by a control unit which independently energizes the magnetic control valves.

Abstract: In an operating mechanism for an engine brake valve of an internal combustion engine which has fuel injectors mounted in the cylinder head to which pressurized fuel is delivered through high pressure fuel passages from a high pressure fuel injection pump, a hydraulic operating piston disposed in a hydraulic cylinder is operatively connected to the engine brake valve by way of a lever which is actuated by the hydraulic operating piston when fuel under pressure is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic control valve is arranged in the high pressure fuel passages for selectively directing the high pressure fuel from the injection pump either to the injector for injection into the engine or to the hydraulic cylinder for opening the engine brake valve at the end of an engine compression stroke to discharge the compressed gas from the engine during engine braking operation.

Abstract: An engine brake arrangement for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with at least one throttle valve per cylinder which, during braking operation of the internal combustion engine, is opened at times to connect a cylinder space with an exhaust conduit. To permit simple control of the opening and closing periods of the throttle valves, the latter are actuated by a hydraulic fluid, which is pumped by a pump with a single pressure-increasing and pumping element, and is distributed in a distributor with rotating channels to the individual conduits leading to a particular throttle valve.

Abstract: An improved slave piston for use in a compression release engine retarder is disclosed. The piston incorporates a self-clipping mechanism whereby, when appropriate, the escape of the high-pressure fluid that drives the slave piston is allowed, clipping the slave piston's displacement. The apparatus is more robust than previous designs and easier and cheaper to manufacture. In accordance with another feature of the invention, an improved fit is provided between the slave piston and the means for controlling the exit of high pressure hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A four-stroke internal-combustion engine for a motor vehicle having inlet and exhaust valves is provided with additional outlet valves for each cylinder, which valves are adjustable by means of an actuating device and with a throttle flap arranged in the exhaust outlet, also adjustable by means of an actuating device. The actuating devices are operated by at least one directional valve, in response to actuation of a brake switch. Braking of the internal-combustion engine occurs as a result of the opening of the additional outlet valves and a throttling of the exhaust gases during the braking operation. The braking of the internal-combustion engine is speed-dependent in that engine braking is cancelled below a minimum specified speed.

Abstract: A two-stroke engine has a scavenge pump provided in an intake passage. A valve is provided in the intake passage downstream of the scavenge pump. When deceleration of a vehicle is detected, the valve is operated to partially close the intake passage.

Abstract: A method for controlling the operating characteristics of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. An injection signal for metering fuel and an idling charge signal for the supply of idling air are present. Engine overrun is also recognized in this method. To diminish the bucking ordinarily occurring during the transition to overrun, after the overrunning is recognized the supply of idling air is first reduced, and then the fuel metering to the engine is interrrupted. This affords the advantage that the transition to the overrun mode of operation occurs precisely at the time when the engine has the least possible torque. An analogous procedure is described for the resumption of normal operation following overrun.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, comprises a first device for detecting an operating parameter in relation to vehicle cruising, a second device for detecting an engine temperature, and a third device for lowering engine speed at the fully closed position of a throttle valve in response to the detected operating parameter and the detected engine temperature, thereby effectively reducing fuel consumption and engine noise without deterioration in engine running stability.

Abstract: A 2-stroke engine having a combustion chamber and a scavenge port which is open to the combustion chamber. When the engine is operating under a light load in which a large amount of unburned components, incompletely burned components and oxygen remains in the combustion chamber, fresh air is fed into the combustion chamber from the scavenge port at a low speed so that the fresh air does not disturb the residual gas in the combustion chamber. As a result of this, oxidation of the unburned components and the incompletely burned components continues without interruption during the expansion stroke and the compression stroke and causes self-ignition of the residual gas at the end of the compression stroke. The self-ignited residual gas causes ignition of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber from a fuel injector.

Abstract: The two-cycle internal combustion engine includes an engine block having a cylindrical wall defining a cylinder having a head end, a piston mounted for reciprocative movement in the cylinder, and a passage in the engine block, such as an exhaust passage, a transfer passage, or a crankcase fuel intake passage, terminating at the cylinder wall in a port, such as an exhaust port, a transfer port or a piston-controlled, crankcase fuel intake port, having upper and lower edges. A valve mounted in the passage for movement relative to the port is operable to selectively vary the effective distance of one of the port edges from the cylinder head end and thereby provide the capability of varying the timing of the port opening and/or closing as required to obtain optimum engine performance at different operating conditions.

Abstract: The flow rate of intake air sucked into an internal combustion engine when a throttle valve of the engine is at the idling position is controlled so that the actual rotational speed of the engine becomes equal to a desired value. This desired value of the rotational speed of the engine is adjusted in accordance with the result of a judgement as to whether the actual rotational speed of the engine is increasing or decreasing, and the value of the actual rotational speed of the engine.

Abstract: A two-stroke cycle gasoline engine having a first scavenging port which is supplied with fuel-air mixture through a mixture passage, and a second scavenging port which is supplied with air, wherein supply of fuel-air mixture through the mixture passage is substantially throttled while supply of air through the second scavenging port is interrupted, so as to perform stratified scavenging, when the engine is operating at low load, while in medium to high load operation the throttling of the mixture passage is released while air is injected through said second scavenging port, so as to generate swirling of mixture charged in the cylinder chamber.