Deceleration Responsive Cutoff Of Fuel To Engine (e.g., Pollution Control) Patents (Class 123/325)
  • Patent number: 11952951
    Abstract: A method of operating a two-stroke cycle, opposed-piston engine comprising a pumping device coupled to pump air to cylinders of the engine through a charge air cooler and an aftertreatment system of thermally-activated devices coupled to receive exhaust from the cylinders by which a thermal state of the exhaust sufficient to sustain thermal activation of one or more of the aftertreatment system devices may be maintained during a deceleration or motoring condition of operation by reducing the mass airflow to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Redon, Arunandan Sharma
  • Patent number: 11313314
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes a port injection valve that injects fuel into an intake-air port, and a cylinder injection valve that injects fuel into a cylinder. The control apparatus includes an electronic control unit that controls the port injection valve and the cylinder injection valve such that when returning from a fuel cut, a value of a port increase amount correction, which is a fuel increase amount correction in which a fuel amount is decreased with a lapse of time during a port injection, differs from a value of a cylinder increase amount correction, which is a fuel increase amount correction in which a fuel amount is decreased with a lapse of time during a cylinder injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Seo, Masatomo Yoshihara, Masanao Idogawa, Takahiro Uchida, Motohiro Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 11274615
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating a temperature of an after treatment device in an exhaust system of an engine are described. In one example, the temperature is estimated during condition when an engine is in a fuel cut-out mode and fuel vapors are being released to the engine via a fuel vapor storage canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allen Lehmen, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Kenneth John Behr, Daniel Buckrop, Ethan D. Sanborn, Marcus William Fried
  • Patent number: 11143121
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine including an injector of cylinder injection type and a forced induction device, a second motor generator that generates electric power with an output torque of the engine, and an ECU that controls the engine and the second motor generator. When an amount of intake air and a fuel pressure of the engine decrease in boosting of suctioned air by the forced induction device, the ECU reduces a decrease in the amount of intake air during a period in which an injection amount is equal to a minimum injection amount, and when an excessive torque is generated in the output torque of the engine along with reducing a decrease in the amount of intake air, the ECU absorbs the excessive torque by a power generation operation of the second motor generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Yonezawa, Satoshi Yoshizaki, Osamu Maeda, Daigo Ando, Yoshikazu Asami, Kenji Itagaki, Shunsuke Oyama, Koichiro Muta
  • Patent number: 11008963
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving efficiency of purging a fuel vapor storage canister included in an evaporative emissions control system of a vehicle. In one example, a method includes controlling a duty cycle of a canister purge valve to purge fuel vapors stored in a fuel vapor storage canister to an engine of the vehicle, and adjusting a flow rate at which the fuel vapors are purged to the engine independently of the duty cycle by controlling a magnitude of a voltage supplied to the canister purge valve during the purging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Scott Alan Bohr, Matthew Werner
  • Patent number: 10973167
    Abstract: A traveling control section of a traveling vehicle is configured to effect a normal operation to control an output of an engine when a vehicle speed is below a set vehicle speed, such that the engine output may correspond to an operation amount of an accelerator operating tool and to effect an output suppressing operation when the vehicle speed is equals to or more than the set vehicle speed, such that the vehicle speed may stay below the set vehicle speed, irrespectively of the operation amount of the accelerator operating tool. A fuel ratio in an air-fuel ratio in the output suppressing operation is set smaller than a fuel ratio in an air-fuel ratio in the normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyasu Honjo
  • Patent number: 10914250
    Abstract: A purge control method of the present disclosure includes determining whether or not a vehicle quickly decelerates in a driving situation in which a large amount of fuel evaporation gas is discharged, decreasing purge duty for operating a purge control solenoid valve when the controller determines that the vehicle is in a state of quick deceleration, and decreasing a purge flow of the fuel evaporation gas by controlling operation of the purge control solenoid valve by the purge duty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Wan Ho Kim, Hee Sup Kim
  • Patent number: 10738717
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for braking of an internal combustion engine, in particular a four-stroke internal combustion engine. The method involves a partial opening of at least one gas discharge valve of at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine during a compression stroke of the internal combustion engine. The method involves a holding of a partial opening of the at least one gas discharge valve during an expansion stroke of the internal combustion engine following the compression stroke and during an exhaust stroke of the internal combustion engine following the expansion stroke. The method involves a closing of the partly opened at least one gas discharge valve at the end of the exhaust stroke or during an intake stroke of the internal combustion engine following the exhaust stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: MAN TRUCK & BUS AG
    Inventors: Thomas Malischewski, Dominik Renner
  • Patent number: 10703348
    Abstract: The hydraulic pressure control includes a valve portion which adjusts a fluid flowing into or flowing out of a hydraulic pressure chamber, a state judging portion which judges whether or not a state of the hydraulic pressure chamber is in a state in which the actual pressure is increasing even the holding signal has been inputted to the valve portion and a control portion which executes a specific control which keeps the actual pressure to the hydraulic pressure within the dead zone when the state judging portion judges that the state of the hydraulic pressure chamber is in a state that the actual pressure fluctuates even the holding signal has been inputted to the valve portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: ADVICS CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Okano, Daisuke Nakata, Masaki Ninoyu
  • Patent number: 10309323
    Abstract: A vehicle having a valve stop mode control unit configured such that an intake valve and an exhaust valve are stopped in a closed state during rotation of an output shaft, supply of fuel to an engine is stopped, a clutch is made to be in an engaged state, and pistons are driven by rotational forces from driving wheels through the output shaft. When there is a request for valve stop inertial running, a negative pressure is supplied to an intake passage by a vacuum pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Nishida
  • Patent number: 10309872
    Abstract: A misfire determination apparatus includes a rotation variation amount acquisition unit that obtains a rotation variation amount (?NE), which is a difference between a first angular velocity variation amount (??1) obtained during an expansion stroke of an arbitrary cylinder of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine and a second angular velocity variation amount (??2) having been obtained in relation to a cylinder that has reached the expansion stroke N (where N is a positive integer) revolutions of a crankshaft before the arbitrary cylinder reaches the expansion stroke, and a misfire determination unit that, when the obtained rotation variation amount (?NE) exceeds a predetermined threshold (?NEth), determines that a misfire has not occurred in the internal combustion engine when a predetermined condition is established, and determines that a misfire has occurred in the internal combustion engine when the predetermined condition is not established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junji Hyodo
  • Patent number: 10260438
    Abstract: A cylinder de-activation control method and a cylinder de-activation system are disclosed. A cylinder de-activation control method of an engine having an odd number of cylinders may include: receiving operation state signals of a vehicle; determining whether the operation state signals correspond to a CDA mode driving region of a CDA apparatus; preparing a CDA driving mode of the CDA apparatus when the operation state signals correspond to the CDA mode driving region; and performing a CDA mode conversion on each cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gee Wook Shin, Won Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 10243494
    Abstract: Method and systems are provided for adjusting an engine torque in response to changes in a desired engine torque. In one example, a method may comprise responsive to increasing desired engine torques, monotonically decreasing an alternator torque to a first level from a second level when not injecting fuel to engine cylinders, and stepping up the alternator torque from the first level to the second level while initiating engine combustion, and then monotonically decreasing the alternator torque from the second level to the first level in response to the alternator torque reaching the first level. In this way, a method may comprise adjusting a load exerted on an engine by an alternator mechanically coupled to said engine during both cylinder combustion, and during non-fueling conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias John Pallett, Christopher John Teslak, Yanan Zhao, Nicholas Dashwood Crisp, Rajit Johri, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 10005466
    Abstract: A control strategy for a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine has a repeating cycle of accelerating the vehicle during a more fuel efficient acceleration phase of the cycle followed by a deceleration phase of the cycle which uses little or no fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC.
    Inventors: Shouhao Wu, Grzegorz Siuchta
  • Patent number: 9945290
    Abstract: An engine-driven working machine includes a controller, which varies a control value of a solenoid valve so as to decrease or increase an opening degree of the solenoid valve when a rotating speed of an engine is within a predetermined high rotating speed range and the rotating speed of the engine is lower or higher than a predetermined rotating speed, respectively. In case the controller determines that the engine-driven working machine gets started saw cutting, the controller stops varying the control value of the solenoid valve when the rotating speed of the engine is within the predetermined high rotating speed range and lower than the target rotating speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Yamabiko Corporation, IIDA Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamasa Otsuji, Shiro Yamaguchi, Kosuke Matsumoto, Hiroyuki Miyaki, Akira Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9920845
    Abstract: A control valve includes a first conduit having a first inlet and a first outlet and defining a first passage; a second conduit having a second inlet and a second outlet and defining a second passage, the second conduit extending into the first passage such that the second inlet is located within the first passage; and a valve plate disposed pivotably within the first passage, the valve plate defining a valve plate surface. Pivoting of the valve plate within the first passage varies flow from the first inlet to the first outlet and the valve plate is pivotal between a first position and a second position such that in the first position the valve plate substantially prevents fluid communication between the first passage and the second passage and such that in the second position the valve plate permits fluid communication between the first passage and the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventor: Wayne R. Moore
  • Patent number: 9893664
    Abstract: Method and systems are provided for adjusting an engine torque in response to changes in a desired engine torque. In one example, a method may comprise responsive to increasing desired engine torques, monotonically decreasing an alternator torque to a first level from a second level when not injecting fuel to engine cylinders, and stepping up the alternator torque from the first level to the second level while initiating engine combustion, and then monotonically decreasing the alternator torque from the second level to the first level in response to the alternator torque reaching the first level. In this way, a method may comprise adjusting a load exerted on an engine by an alternator mechanically coupled to said engine during both cylinder combustion, and during non-fueling conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias John Pallett, Christopher John Teslak, Yanan Zhao, Nicholas Dashwood Crisp, Rajit Johri, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 9828954
    Abstract: A fuel control system for an engine includes a closing module and a purge control module. The closing module commands closing of a purge valve in response an engine speed transitioning from greater than a predetermined speed to less than the predetermined speed while the purge valve is in an open state. The predetermined speed is less than a predetermined target speed of the engine and is greater than zero. The purge control module transitions the purge valve from the open state to a closed state in response to the command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Steven Ward Majors, Scott Jeffrey, Jason West
  • Patent number: 9745913
    Abstract: A fuel injection controller includes an oxygen sensor that responds to an oxygen concentration inside an exhaust passage, and an injection amount control unit programmed to control a fuel injection amount based on the output of the oxygen sensor. The injection amount control unit includes an injection amount correction value computing unit that determines an injection amount correction value based on the output of the oxygen sensor, a short-time learning value computing unit that determines a short-time learning value based on the injection amount correction value, a long-time learning value computing unit that determines a long-time learning value based on the short-time learning value; a feedback correction amount computing unit that computes a feedback correction amount, an injection amount control value computing unit that computes a control value of the fuel injection amount, and a long-time learning value holding unit that holds the long-time learning value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoko Fujime
  • Patent number: 9541469
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on a time delay and line length of each sample of a set of exhaust gas sensor responses collected during a commanded change in air-fuel ratio. In this way, the exhaust gas sensor may be monitored utilizing robust parameters in a non-intrusive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Adam Nathan Banker, James Michael Kerns, Imad Hassan Makki
  • Patent number: 9534543
    Abstract: A system including a DFCO module. The DFCO module is configured to operate in a DFCO mode to deactivate fuel to a cylinder of an engine. A first flow rate module is configured to determine a reaction gas flow rate. An offset module is configured to determine a temperature offset value based on the reaction gas flow rate. A first temperature module is configured to estimate a first temperature of a catalyst of an exhaust system of the engine. A summer is configured to sum the temperature offset value and the first temperature to generate a summation value. A second temperature module configured to estimate a second temperature of the catalyst based on the summation value. A comparison module is configured to perform a first comparison between the second temperature and a threshold and generate an inhibit signal to inhibit operation in the DFCO mode based on the first comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: James A. Goodall
  • Patent number: 9415767
    Abstract: A travel control device is applied to a hybrid vehicle which includes a planetary gear mechanism capable of distributing power of an internal combustion engine to a first MG and an output part, and a second MG capable of outputting power to the output part. The travel control device allows the vehicle to travel in an acceleration-deceleration travel mode in which, when a high-speed steady travel condition is established during travel of the vehicle, acceleration travel for accelerating the vehicle with power output from the internal combustion engine and coasting travel for allowing the vehicle to coast with the internal combustion engine in a stop state are alternately repeated within a target vehicle speed range. In the travel control device, given power is output from the internal combustion engine at the time of acceleration travel, and the internal combustion engine is controlled such that the vehicle is accelerated at an acceleration such that the rotation speed of the first MG becomes zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Maeda
  • Patent number: 9309817
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to prevent an increase in the amount of oxygen stored in a catalyst due to a fuel cut by performing a rich spike, even when the fuel is again supplied after a fuel cut in some of the cylinders. When a prescribed fuel cut condition has been satisfied (t1, t6), first, the fuel to some of the cylinders is cut, and after a prescribed period of time (A1) has elapsed, the supply of fuel to all of the cylinders is cut (A2). When the fuel to only some of the cylinders has been cut and a prescribed fuel cut recovery condition has been satisfied (t3), fuel is again supplied to the aforementioned cylinders, and during a prescribed period (C1) after the supply of the fuel has been restarted a rich spike (D1) is executed, whereby the amount of fuel being supplied is increased and the exhaust air-fuel ratio is controlled so as to be richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Marie Yoshida, Tamikazu Kimura
  • Patent number: 9175627
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for controlling an amount of fuel injection into a fuel injection port of an intake passage in an internal combustion engine, the fuel injection control apparatus including an exhaust air-fuel ratio sensor configured to detect an exhaust air-fuel ratio, an exhaust temperature sensor configured to detect an exhaust temperature, an intake air flow meter configured to detect an intake air amount in the intake passage, and a controller configured to estimate a wall flow amount of the fuel injection port based on the fuel injection amount, the exhaust air-fuel ratio, and the intake air amount, estimate a catalyst bed temperature of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage based on the exhaust air-fuel ratio and the exhaust temperature and to correct the estimated catalyst bed temperature in accordance with the wall flow amount, and control the fuel injection amount based on the catalyst bed temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nose, Satoshi Nishii, Manabu Okamura
  • Publication number: 20150136076
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for expediting EGR purging in a hybrid vehicle during transient operations, such as tip-out to lower load conditions. In response to decreasing engine torque demand, engine fueling is disabled and a motor is used to spin the engine unfueled until a desired LP-EGR rate is achieved. Alternatively, engine operation is maintained with EGR disabled until the desired LP-EGR rate is achieved, and the excess engine torque generated is stored in a system battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Styles, Stanley Larue Bower, James Alfred Hilditch, Robert Ralph Iorio, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 9002590
    Abstract: A first target engine speed N1 and a high-speed control area F1 are set according to a command value commanded by a command unit. A second target engine speed N2 and a high-speed control area F2 defined on a low-speed side are set according to the first target engine speed N1. A pump displacement D and an engine torque T of a variable displacement hydraulic pump are detected so that a target engine speed N corresponding to each of the detected pump displacement and engine torque is detected according to a preset relationship between a the pump displacement D and the target engine speed N and a preset relationship between the engine torque T and the target engine speed N during an engine control at the high-speed control area F2. The drive of the engine is controlled so that the engine is driven at the target engine speed N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Komatsu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Akiyama, Hisashi Asada, Takeshi Ooi
  • Patent number: 8924130
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on a time delay and line length of each sample of a set of exhaust gas sensor responses collected during a commanded change in air-fuel ratio. In this way, the exhaust gas sensor may be monitored utilizing robust parameters in a non-intrusive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Adam Nathan Banker, James Michael Kerns, Imad Hassan Makki
  • Patent number: 8918267
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided, the control apparatus being capable of effectively suppressing the inflow of fresh air into a catalyst due to an operational delay of the valve stop mechanism when an execution request for fuel cut is issued. There is provided a valve stop mechanism capable of changing the operational states of intake valves and exhaust valves between a valve operating state and a valve closed/stopped state. The operational states of the intake and exhaust valves are changed into the valve closed/stopped state, if the engine rotational speed decreases to or below a predetermined rotational speed when the engine rotational speed is higher than the predetermined rotational speed in a case where an execution request for fuel cut is detected and the temperature of the catalyst is not lower than a predetermined temperature during operation of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihisa Nakagawa, Takashi Nishikiori
  • Patent number: 8874353
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided in which a prescribed amount of fuel is injected over a predetermined period until an air-fuel ratio sensor is activated when fuel cut control of the internal combustion engine is stopped to resume normal engine operation. If an EGR gas is inducted immediately before the fuel cut control is started, the prescribed amount is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Shinagawa, Yuuichi Katou, Youhei Hosokawa, Shingo Korenaga
  • Patent number: 8851049
    Abstract: In a vehicle in which an output of an engine is transmitted to a driving wheel through a transmission, an engine control device stops fuel injection of the engine, when engine rotational speed is above a preset specific fuel cut-off rotational speed while the vehicle is coasting; and restarts the fuel injection, when the engine rotational speed falls below a recovery rotational speed while the fuel injection is stopped, wherein the recovery rotational speed is below the specific fuel cut-off rotational speed. When determining that an operating state allows the stop and restart of fuel injection to be repeated, the engine control device sets a hunting-preventing fuel cut-off rotational speed based on an input shaft rotational speed of the transmission, wherein the hunting-preventing fuel cut-off rotational speed replaces the specific fuel cut-off rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryouichi Ootaki, Masahiro Iriyama
  • Patent number: 8833345
    Abstract: Engine control apparatus includes, but is not limited to a determining device for determining whether or not the engine is operated under predetermined deceleration operating conditions or predetermined acceleration operating conditions and for individually deactivating two or more cylinders in a disenabling sequence which is different from the firing sequence if the engine is operated under predetermined deceleration operating conditions, and/or for individually reactivating two or more of the cylinders in a reactivating sequence which is different from the firing sequence if the engine is operated under predetermined acceleration conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Klaus Pochner, Enrico Tropschug, Christopher Whitney
  • Patent number: 8762033
    Abstract: When fuel cut permission conditions are satisfied, a guard provided by an ignition timing retardation limit is relieved. In the resulting state, the ignition timing is retarded to decrease the output torque of an internal combustion engine. After the output torque of the internal combustion engine is decreased to a predetermined minimum torque, the supply of fuel is shut off. When, on the other hand, recovery from a fuel cut is to be achieved, the guard provided by the ignition timing retardation limit is relieved until completion conditions for recovery from the fuel cut are satisfied. In the resulting state, the ignition timing is retarded to decrease the output torque of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tanaka, Kaoru Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 8745980
    Abstract: A vehicle control device, that controls to suppress a driving force of a vehicle based on an operation of a brake pedal operated when a braking force is generated by a braking device, wherein the brake pedal is connected to a brake booster, that increases an operating force input to the brake pedal by using a brake negative pressure to transmit to brake fluid of the braking device in order to appropriately control by appropriately detecting the operation of the brake pedal; and the driving force is suppressed according to an M/C pressure when the brake negative pressure is higher than a brake negative pressure threshold value, and the driving force is suppressed according to an operation state of the brake pedal when the brake negative pressure is equal to or lower than the brake negative pressure threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimada, Michihito Shimada, Masashi Takagi, Motonari Ohbayashi, Shinya Kodama, Akihiro Kida, Akito Onishi, Toshiya Oishi, Takamasa Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8726880
    Abstract: A system for an engine includes a motor driver module, a target phase angle module, and a correlation control module. The motor driver module controls an electric motor of a camshaft phaser based on a target angle defined by a crankshaft position and a camshaft position. The target phase angle module selectively sets the target angle to a first phase angle before a deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO) event and selectively transitions the target angle to a predetermined phase angle during the DFCO event. The correlation control module selectively compares a value of the crankshaft position with a predetermined crankshaft position range during the DFCO event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventors: Etsuko Muraji Stewart, Vijay Ramappan
  • Patent number: 8667781
    Abstract: A vehicle control device applied to a vehicle including an internal combustion engine and an electrically heated catalyst which is warmed by applying a current, and includes a catalyst carrier supporting a catalyst and a carrier retention unit that retains the catalyst carrier and has an electrical insulation property. The control unit performs a control of suppressing a supply of an unburned gas from the internal combustion engine to the electrically heated catalyst so that the carrier retention unit is maintained at a lower temperature than the catalyst, when a condition for performing a fuel cut of the internal combustion engine during a deceleration is satisfied. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a rapid cooling of the catalyst, and it becomes possible to maintain a temperature of the carrier retention unit at a lower temperature than a temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mamoru Yoshioka, Noriaki Kumagai, Naoya Takagi
  • Patent number: 8639418
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a power system. The method includes receiving an operator request for a propulsion direction change. The method also includes directing power into a power source and reducing a supply of fuel to the power source while directing power into the power source. The method further includes basing a first threshold speed on a speed of the power source produced by directing power into the power source and increasing the supply of fuel to the power source when the speed of the power source falls below the first threshold speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Paul Bertsch, Bruce Henry Hein, Jeremy Joe Wilson, Timothy Allen Goldammer
  • Publication number: 20140000556
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a slip ratio calculating unit, a target torque calculating unit, a fuel cut pattern determining unit, and a fuel cut control unit. The vehicle also includes a traction control system which includes an average output torque predicting unit and a fuel cut pattern correcting unit configured to correct the remaining fuel cut pattern during a unit section by judging the overage and shortage of generation of an output torque of the engine by comparison of the average output torque and the target torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Masanori NAKAMURA, Takeru ABE, Tatsuro KATO
  • Patent number: 8620561
    Abstract: A control for an internal combustion engine having a fuel injection valve for directly injecting fuel to a combustion chamber of the engine, an ignition device for burning an air-fuel mixture containing the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve, and a variable cylinder management mechanism that is capable of changing the number of operating cylinders is provided. The control includes making a transition to an operating mode where the number of operating cylinders is decreased through the variable cylinder management mechanism. It is predicted based on an operating condition of the engine that an air-fuel ratio of an exhaust atmosphere of the engine becomes lean due to a stop of the fuel injection into one or more cylinders to be halted by the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Murakami, Taro Endo, Takaaki Fukusako
  • Patent number: 8596248
    Abstract: In a control method suitable for an internal combustion engine (1) of a motor vehicle with an automatic engine cut-off and starting system (33) by which the internal combustion engine (1) can be cut off and started independently from the driver of the motor vehicle, the starting of the internal combustion engine (1) is detected and a variable determined, which represents a measure for the work performed by the internal combustion engine (1) since it has been started. The cut-off of the internal combustion engine (1) is controlled by the automatic engine cut-off and starting system (33) according to the variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Eser, Balaji Jayaraman, Andreas Läufer
  • Patent number: 8498795
    Abstract: A method and cruise control system for controlling a vehicle cruise control includes driving the vehicle with the cruise control active and set to maintain a vehicle set target speed, and registering a current vehicle condition, which includes at least a current vehicle position, a currently engaged gear ratio, available gear ratios, current vehicle speed, available maximum propulsion torque and road topography of coming travelling road comprising a next coming uphill slope. Based on the current vehicle condition a downshift is predicted at a coming vehicle position in the coming uphill slope due to vehicle speed decrease and at least one activity is selected which results in that the downshift can be postponed or avoided. The cruise control is controlled according to the selected activity in order to postpone or avoid, for example a downshift from a direct gear and thereby saves fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Anders Eriksson, Johan Bjernetun
  • Patent number: 8473184
    Abstract: A control method and a control system for deceleration of a vehicle including a continuous valve lift apparatus (CVVL) may include determining whether fuel cutting condition is satisfied, determining whether brake pedal input signal is detected and controlling deceleration according to brake pedal input signal by at least one of controlling throttle opening angle and controlling valve lift of the CVVL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Maru Yoon, Hakmo Yoo
  • Publication number: 20130139786
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for addressing pre-ignition that may be induced in response to actions taken to mitigate a cylinder misfire. An amount of engine load limiting applied may be adjusted to reduce the likelihood pre-ignition while also addressing component over-temperature issues. By limiting an engine load while shutting off fuel in a misfiring cylinder, and while combusting a lean air-fuel mixture in the remaining cylinders, pre-ignition induced by the misfire-mitigating lean combustion conditions can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Paul Charles Mingo, Robert Sarow Baskins, Sue Kay Wagers
  • Patent number: 8443781
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus includes: a purge control unit causing fuel evaporative emission to be introduced into an intake passage to attain a purge flow rate based on a pressure in the intake passage; a fuel cut return rich control unit setting a rich target air-fuel ratio when returning from fuel cut, and feedback-controlling a fuel supply rate on the basis of the target air-fuel ratio, purge flow rate and intake air flow rate to attain the target air-fuel ratio; a fuel increase upper limit setting unit setting an allowable upper limit for an increase in fuel supply rate in fuel cut return rich control; and an actual air-fuel ratio control unit controlling an actual air-fuel ratio to a richer side when the fuel supply rate in the fuel cut return rich control has reached the allowable upper limit and the actual air-fuel ratio is lean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Demura, Kenji Shiotani
  • Patent number: 8402936
    Abstract: A vehicle control device for a vehicle system automatically stops an internal combustion engine of a vehicle when a predetermined stop condition is satisfied and automatically starts the automatically stopped internal combustion engine when a predetermined start condition is satisfied. A stop point detection unit detects a stop point, at which the vehicle possibly stops, while the vehicle travels based on map information stored in a map information storage unit. A traveling information control unit stores traveling information, which includes a state of the vehicle stopping at a stop point and a state of the vehicle passing by the stop point, in the traveling information storage unit. A stop determination unit determines whether to stop the internal combustion engine when the vehicle stops at a stop point based on the traveling information of the stop point stored in the traveling information storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8397693
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher Paul Nelander
  • Patent number: 8374770
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Jung, Janos Radeczky, Michael Wirkowski
  • Patent number: 8340865
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle wheel spin control apparatus that, when it is determined that a wheel spin occurs, reduces engine torque to prevent the wheel spin, including: detecting driving control information and information on the state of a vehicle and determining whether basic conditions required to perform engine torque limit control to prevent the wheel spin are satisfied; when the basic conditions are satisfied, calculating a speed variation and the speed gradient value, and comparing the speed gradient value with a predetermined speed gradient value to determine whether a spin occurs; when it is determined that the spin occurs, using a torque gradient map set according to the current engine torque to perform the engine torque limit control; and when the vehicle speed is reduced by the engine torque limit control and cancellation conditions are satisfied, canceling the engine torque limit control and returning to normal control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Hyungsoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20120304960
    Abstract: An engine control module includes a deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO) module, an actuator control module, and a rolling neutral (RN) module. The DFCO module determines whether to disable provision of fuel to an engine when a vehicle speed is greater than zero and selectively generates a DFCO signal based on the determination. The actuator control module disables the provision of fuel to the engine when the DFCO signal is generated. The RN module selectively generates an RN mode signal in response to a determination that the DFCO module is not generating the DFCO signal. The actuator control module controls the provision of fuel to the engine based on a desired engine speed when the RN mode signal is generated. A transmission control module disengages first and second input clutches of a dual clutch transmission (DCT) to decouple the DCT from the engine when the RN mode signal is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Richard A. Weaver, Kenneth K. Lang
  • Patent number: 8316819
    Abstract: There is provided, in one aspect of the present description, a method of controlling a spark ignited internal combustion engine having a fuel injector which injects fuel directly into its combustion chamber. The method comprises stopping the fuel injection if a desired torque for the engine is a predetermined torque or less and a speed of the engine is a predetermined speed or greater. The method comprises resuming the fuel injection by injecting a first amount of fuel directly into the combustion chamber during a negative pressure period and injecting a second amount of the fuel into the combustion chamber during an intake period. The method further includes resuming the fuel injection by injecting a third amount of the fuel directly into the combustion chamber during the negative pressure period and injecting a fourth amount of the fuel into the combustion chamber during the intake period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masahisa Yamakawa, Shinichi Sugihara, Naohiro Yamaguchi, Keiji Araki
  • Patent number: 8224558
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus includes a fuel supplying mechanism supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine; an exhaust gas recirculating mechanism recirculating exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine to an intake side of the internal combustion engine; a flow adjuster selectively increasing and decreasing a strength of flow of the supplied fuel and the recirculated exhaust gas in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine; a stop controller controlling the fuel supplying mechanism to stop the supply of fuel and controlling the exhaust gas recirculating mechanism to stop the recirculation of exhaust gas, when the internal combustion engine is operated in a predetermined deceleration mode; and in-cylinder flow controller controlling the flow adjuster to increase the strength of the flow when the control to stop the supply of fuel is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuuichi Katou, Tomohiro Shinagawa, Shingo Korenaga