By Regulating Spark Ignition Timing Patents (Class 123/339.11)
  • Patent number: 11845418
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine and a transmission of a vehicle, which is a hybrid vehicle, includes the following steps that are carried out by a controller: determining whether the vehicle is under NCC (Neutral Coasting Control), determining whether an engine RPM reaches an engine RPM control point if it is determined that the NCC is in effect, determining an RPM and a gear stage of a vehicle transmission if it is determined that the engine RPM has reached the engine RPM control point, determining an engine target RPM of the vehicle, determining whether the engine RPM has reached a mild hybrid starter & generator (MHSG) control point, and controlling the MHSG according to a condition if it is determined that the engine RPM has reached the MHSG control point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Sung Park, Jaebin Lee, Tae Won Hwang
  • Patent number: 11242809
    Abstract: In an opposed-piston engine which includes a catalytic aftertreatment device in its exhaust system an exhaust gas condition indicating a catalyst temperature of the aftertreatment device is monitored. When the catalyst temperature is near or below a light-off temperature, a catalyst light-off procedure is executed to elevate the temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmad Ghazi, Daniel M. Schum, Fabien G. Redon, Samrat M. Patil
  • Patent number: 11242835
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a work apparatus having a combustion engine. An ignition device is provided for triggering an ignition spark at a spark plug for igniting a fuel/air mixture in a combustion chamber of the combustion engine. The combustion chamber is bounded by a piston which drives a crankshaft in a rotating manner. In order to avoid the combustion engine stopping in rich mode, the speed (n) of the combustion engine is monitored over the period of time (t, ?T) and the ignition point (ZZP) of the ignition device is advanced if the speed (n) of the combustion engine lies within a predefined speed range (nmin; nmax) within a predefined period of time (t, ?T) and then the speed n drops below a speed limit value (nG).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan-Philipp Banzhaf, Karsten Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11182673
    Abstract: Single-shot learning and disambiguation of multiple predictions in hierarchical temporal memory is provided. In various embodiments an input sequence is read. The sequence comprises first, second, and third time-ordered components. Each of the time-ordered components is encoded in a sparse distributed representation. The sparse distributed representation of the first time-ordered component is inputted into a first portion of a hierarchical temporal memory. The sparse distributed representation of the second time-ordered component is inputted into a second portion of the hierarchical temporal memory. The second portion is connected to the first portion by a first plurality of synapses. A plurality of predictions as to the third time-ordered component is generated within a third portion of the hierarchical temporal memory. The third portion is connected to the second portion by a second plurality of synapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Geoffrey W. Burr, Pritish Narayanan
  • Patent number: 11035521
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling pressure washer devices are provided. Pressure washers comprising at least one control unit and the ability to regulate functions of at least an engine of a pressure washer are disclosed. A control unit receives inputs from a user or various sensors provided in communication with the control unit, and is further capable of outputting a signal based on the inputs, the output signal operative to maintain or control the operating functions of an engine, pump, or motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: LEGEND BRANDS, INC.
    Inventor: Martin Elliot Pierce
  • Patent number: 10914264
    Abstract: An engine includes a first injection valve, which is one of port and direct injection valves, and a second injection valve, which is the other. When operating only the first injection valve based on a base injection amount, which has been corrected using a feedback operation amount and a first learning value, an air-fuel ratio control apparatus updates the first learning value and determines that the first learning value has converged on condition that a correction ratio of the base injection amount is not more than a predetermined ratio. When the first and second injection valves are being operated, the apparatus updates a second learning value for the second injection valve on condition that the first learning value has converged and the ratio of the injection amount of the second injection valve is not less than a specified value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masanao Idogawa
  • Patent number: 10697383
    Abstract: The present invention suppresses the worsening of stability due to a variation in EGR amounts between cylinders in a spark ignition engine. An engine control device for controlling a spark ignition engine equipped with an EGR means for recirculating exhaust gas in a combustion chamber and an air-fuel-ratio detection means for detecting the air-fuel ratio in each cylinder, the engine control device being characterized by being equipped with a means for changing the parameters for ignition control of a rich cylinder, when the air-fuel ratio of cylinders varies and there are richer cylinders and leaner cylinders relative to a prescribed air-fuel ratio during the execution of exhaust gas recirculation by the EGR means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori
  • Patent number: 10539085
    Abstract: A pre-stoppage ignition control unit defines, as a stoppage transition air amount, an intake air amount of the engine with which the engine torque becomes the stoppage transition torque in a state in which an ignition timing of the engine is set to a predetermined self-sustaining operation ignition timing, defines, as an intermediate timing, a predetermined timing earlier than timing at which the intake air amount converges to the stoppage transition air amount during an execution period of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control, sets the ignition timing of the engine in a period from the start of the pre-stoppage self-sustaining operation control to the intermediate timing to timing earlier than the self-sustaining operation ignition timing, and sets the ignition timing of the engine in the period after the intermediate timing to the self-sustaining operation ignition timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Tsuchida, Shunya Kato, Takuro Kumada
  • Patent number: 10415487
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit which executes electric assist of rotation of an engine crankshaft by a motor in association with engagement of a clutch, at the time of an ignition start in which fuel injection and sparking are executed with respect to a target cylinder, which has been stopped in an expansion stroke. The electronic control unit corrects at least one of the initiation timing of sparking which is to be initially performed in the target cylinder at the time of the ignition start and an electric assist torque which is to be used for the ignition start, on the basis of a combination of the relationship between an acquisition value and an estimation value of a torque indication value, and the relationship between an acquisition value and an estimation value of an ignition delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10279798
    Abstract: When a brake is turned on during travel of a hybrid vehicle, a required braking force required for a drive shaft is set based on a brake depression amount, a base rotation speed of an engine is set based on the required braking force, a shift stage is set based on the base rotation speed and a vehicle speed, a target rotation speed of the engine is set based on the shift stage and the vehicle speed, and the engine, the first motor, and the second motor are controlled such that the engine operates at the target rotation speed and the required braking force acts on the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunya Kato, Ikuo Ando
  • Patent number: 10240545
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for the estimation of an aircharge into a cylinder used to adjust an engine operating parameter, based on a manifold pressure signal stored in a buffer. In one example, a method may include sampling an intake manifold pressure sensor signal at even increments of time, stamping it with its corresponding crank angle and storing it in a buffer. The closest stored signal to the intake valve closing of a cylinder may be used to calculate its aircharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Justin Trzeciak, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Thomas G. Leone
  • Patent number: 10120293
    Abstract: An object positioning system includes an object; a measurement system to measure the position of the object, wherein each sensor of the measurement system has an associated measurement area on the object and wherein a location of at least one measurement area on the object is dependent on the position of the object; an actuator system to position the object; a control system configured to drive the actuator system, wherein the control system includes an observer with a dynamic model of the object to estimate an internal dynamic behavior of the object, wherein the dynamic model includes the dependency of the location of at least one measurement area on the position of the object, and wherein the control system is configured to drive the actuator system in dependency of an output of the observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hans Butler, Ramidin Izair Kamidi, Yanin Kasemsinsup
  • Patent number: 10094315
    Abstract: A rotational speed control apparatus for an engine that drives an air conditioning compressor includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit corrects a calculated value of a load torque of a compressor in accordance with a deviation between a rotational speed of the engine and a target rotational speed, as a changeover transition period control, in a changeover transition period. The electronic control unit also sets an execution period of the changeover transition period control such that the execution period in a changeover transition period from the stopped state to the driven state of the compressor is longer than an execution period of the changeover transition period control in a changeover transition period from the driven state to the stopped state of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9856782
    Abstract: A method of operating a supercharger (10) for an automotive engine (20) is disclosed. A supercharger (10) has an input shaft (30) for coupling to a crank shaft (22) of the engine and also for coupling to the rotor of a first electrical machine (40) and the annulus of an epicyclic gear train (60). An output shaft (70) is connected to a compressor (80) and a sun gear of the epicyclic gear train (60). A carrier carrying planet gears of the epicyclic gear train (60) is connected to the rotor of a second electrical machine (50). The first electrical machine (40) is selectively operable to supply electrical energy to the second electrical machine (50). The second electrical machine (50) is selectively operable as a motor or a generator to accelerate or decelerate the compressor (80), thereby tending to increase or decrease the power output of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignees: Nexxtdrive Limited, Integral Powertrain Limited
    Inventor: Ruaraidh McDonald-Walker
  • Patent number: 9810167
    Abstract: When a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage is in an un-activated state, an intake air amount is increased, as compared to when the converter is in an activated state under the same engine operation condition, and an ignition timing is retarded beyond a TDC of a compression stroke. The ignition timing is set such that a retard amount thereof from the TDC becomes larger as an external load causing a rotational resistance of an engine becomes lower. A valve opening start timing of an exhaust valve is set such that, when the external load is lower than a given reference load, the valve starts opening, before an in-cylinder pressure reaches a peak, according to combustion of an air-fuel mixture ignited at the above ignition timing, in a subsequent expansion stroke, wherein the in-cylinder pressure is based on an assumption that the valve is maintained in a valve-closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomi Watanabe, Shigeyuki Hirashita, Naoki Kishikawa, Keiji Araki
  • Patent number: 9765724
    Abstract: An engine system may include a fuel and air supply circuit and an exhaust circuit, a temperature sensor mounted on an exterior of the engine and an oxygen sensor located in the exhaust circuit. The fuel and air supply circuit may include a throttle body mounted on the engine and having a throttle valve to control the flow rate of air delivered to the engine, a fuel injector carried by the throttle body to deliver fuel to the engine and a fuel rail carried by at least one of the throttle body and the fuel injector and having an input to receive a supply of fuel and an outlet through which fuel is routed to the fuel injector. An engine control unit may be communicated with these components to control the fuel and air mixture provided to the engine as a function of the temperature and oxygen sensor outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Walbro LLC
    Inventors: Massimo Casoni, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, David L. Speirs, Mark S. Swanson, Eric G. Zbytowski
  • Patent number: 9720397
    Abstract: When warm-up operation is started, a machine tool acquires an atmospheric temperature around the machine tool and selects a warm-up operation program on the basis of the acquired atmospheric temperature. A warm-up operation command suitable for the atmospheric temperature is given to the control unit according to the selected warm-up operation program. A movable unit of the machine tool can be thereby controlled, and optimum warm-up operation for the atmospheric temperature can be eventually performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Taisei Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9541015
    Abstract: A apparatus for an engine, and the apparatus includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to (i) perform a feedback control such that the engine speed converges to a target speed by correcting ignition timing during the feedback control, (ii) make a determination that fuel supplied to the engine is a heavy fuel when an ignition fulfillment rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value within a predetermined period after the engine is started, the ignition fulfillment rate is a ratio of the advance correction amount of the ignition timing to a maximum ignition correction range, the maximum ignition correction range is a maximum range in which the ignition timing is corrected during the feedback control, and (iii) set the threshold value to a value that depends on a temperature representative value of the engine, the temperature representative value is correlated with the engine temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitaka Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9284897
    Abstract: An intake control system for an internal combustion engine, which, even when there are a plurality of intake air amounts for attaining one target torque, is capable of positively selecting a minimum intake air amount therefrom without causing hunting, and setting the minimum intake air amount as a target intake air amount, thereby making it possible to improve fuel economy. The intake control system calculates a maximum intake air amount, sets a plurality of provisional intake air amounts within a range of 0 to the maximum intake air amount, calculates torques estimated to be output from the engine with respect to the provisional intake air amounts, respectively, selects a minimum provisional intake air amount that makes the estimated torque equal to or close to the target torque from the relationship between the provisional intake air amounts and the estimated torques, and sets the same as the target intake air amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Ueno, Masaya Agata, Hisashi Ito, Hideharu Takamiya, Kentaro Onuma, Kohei Hanada
  • Patent number: 9206760
    Abstract: When a state in which fuel supply to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is cut is recovered, since a vehicle control device starts the fuel supply by controlling the internal combustion engine at the time that a requested driving force that is being requested becomes the same as an actual driving force that is being actually generated, the vehicle control device can appropriately start the fuel supply when the fuel cut state is recovered. When, for example, the deviation between the requested driving force and the actual driving force becomes within a preset and predetermined range, as the time at which the requested driving force that is being requested becomes the same as the actual driving force that is being actually generated, the vehicle control device starts the fuel supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Mitsuyasu, Norimi Asahara
  • Patent number: 9086026
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a pump control module, an actuator control module, and a torque reserve module. The pump control module switches a water pump between on and off. The water pump circulates coolant through an engine when the water pump is on. The actuator control module controls a first actuator of the engine based on a first torque request and that controls a second actuator of the engine based on a second torque request. The torque reserve module adjusts a torque reserve before the water pump is switched on or off based on a change in engine load expected when the water pump is switched on or off. The torque reserve is a difference between the first torque request and the second torque request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Levijoki, Christopher Harold Knieper
  • Patent number: 9062621
    Abstract: A method for making an optimum combustion during engine operating time changes a fuel flow rate of the solenoid valve on the basis of engine rotational speed feedback control during engine idling time at low engine rotational speed and low electric power consumption. During engine idling time of an engine are carried out a rotational speed detecting process, an idle rotation adjusting process of making a rotational speed detected by the rotational speed detecting process equal to an initial value of rotational speed by controlling an ignition timing while comparing the detected rotational speed with the initial value of rotational speed as target value, and a valve opening correction process according to idle ignition timing change (I.I.T.C.) obtained by the idle rotation adjusting process. The valve opening is set to an adjusted valve opening (A.V.O.) plus a correction valve opening (C.V.O.) by the valve opening correction process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignees: IIDA DENKI KOGYO CO., LTD., ZAMA JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryouhei Yamashita, Akira Yamazaki, Tamotsu Saitou, Hideki Watanabe, Takumi Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8989931
    Abstract: A method for controlling the idle speed in a hybrid vehicle in which at least two power plants contribute together or separately to driving the hybrid vehicle, and a setpoint value is compared to an actual value for controlling the idle speed, the setpoint rotational speed being set as a function of the comparison by changing at least one intensification factor of the control. To adapt the control dynamics to the actual transmission characteristics of the first of the two power plants, the idle speed control for the at least two power plants is carried out simultaneously, the at least one intensification factor being continuously adapted to the power output of a first of the two power plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Seel
  • Publication number: 20150068493
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine in an idle mode, in which an ignition angle and/or an air quantity of the internal combustion engine is influenced and/or is modified as a function of an idle rotation speed of the internal combustion engine. The ignition angle and/or the air quantity and/or a fuel quantity for at least one combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine is modified as a function of at least one variable characterizing a combustion event in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: David GAENZLE, Wolfgang FISCHER, Laurent NACK
  • Patent number: 8739762
    Abstract: An engine controlling apparatus includes an idle speed setting unit that sets a target idle speed upon idling of an engine mounted on a vehicle, and a target torque setting unit that sets a target torque in response to the target idle speed. The apparatus further includes an ignition timing controlling unit that controls an ignition timing and an intake air amount controlling unit that controls an intake air amount, and a steering angle detection unit that detects a steering angle. The apparatus further includes a torque value setting unit that sets a torque value in response to the steering angle. The intake air amount controlling unit controls the intake air amount in response to both the target torque and the torque value. The ignition timing controlling unit controls the ignition timing so that the engine outputs the target torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyata, Katsunori Ueda, Hitoshi Toda, Koji Shibata
  • Patent number: 8744724
    Abstract: An engine controlling apparatus includes a setting unit that sets a demand torque to an engine, a detection unit that detects a fluctuation of an external load, and a correction unit that corrects the demand torque. The apparatus includes a target torque calculation unit that calculates a target torque based on the demand torque, a control unit that controls an amount of air to be introduced into the engine so that an output torque may come close to the target torque, and an ignition timing detection unit that detects an ignition timing of the engine. The correction unit adds a torque increment for coping with a fluctuation of the external load to the demand torque to determine an increment correction demand torque and increases or decreases the increment correction demand torque in response to a displacement amount of the ignition timing from a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Shibata, Katsunori Ueda, Toshiyuki Miyata, Hitoshi Toda
  • Patent number: 8731791
    Abstract: When an internal combustion engine is cranked up from a stopped position of a piston in a restart-time first ignition cylinder which is scheduled to start a combustion at the time of an automatic restart of the engine under an automatic stop of the engine during an idling-stop control, a restart-time ignition time interval between a time point when the cranking of the engine is started and a time point when the restart-time first ignition cylinder is initially ignited is calculated. A drive-start timing of a starter motor is delayed according to this restart-time ignition time interval. Thereby, the cranking of the engine is carried out by the starter motor under a state where the hydraulic pressure supplied from the electric oil pump has increased. Thus, the slip in the clutch of the CVT can be suppressed when the gas mixture in the restart-time first ignition cylinder is initially ignited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shouta Hamane, Takayuki Iwasaki, Yoshikazu Hirato
  • Patent number: 8731805
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling ignition of a general-purpose internal combustion engine in which an ignition signal is produced both in a compression stroke and in an exhaust stroke of a four stroke cycle, one of the ignitions to be conducted based on the produced two ignition signals is cut and an after-ignition-cut engine speed is detected. Then it is discriminated whether each of the two ignition signals was produced in the compression stroke or in the exhaust stroke based on a difference between an average engine speed and the after-ignition-cut engine speed, and the ignition is controlled based on the ignition signal discriminated to be produced in the compression stroke in the two ignition signals, thereby enabling to improve the duration life of an ignition plug, with simple and compact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Keiichiro Bungo
  • Patent number: 8694231
    Abstract: A control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle includes a transmission load module, a target engine speed module, and an actuator control module. The transmission load module determines a load imposed on an engine through a transmission. The target engine speed module selectively determines a target engine speed during an engine startup event based on the load. The actuator control module controls at least one engine actuator based on the target engine speed during the engine startup event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Inventors: Qi Ma, Robert Douglas Shafto
  • Patent number: 8573179
    Abstract: When cranking starts by turning on a starter switch 14, the ignition timing is first corrected to a fixed value on a retard side. When an IACV 6 reaches a fully opened position, the ignition timing is corrected to the retard side once, and thereafter corrected to an advance side. The correction to the advance side is performed in accordance with a difference between the number of idling target steps and the current number of steps, and the amount of advance correction is reduced as the difference is reduced. Upon completion of the initialization of the IACV 6, the ignition timing correction amount is then restored to the initial value by increasing the amount of advance by a predetermined amount in a stepwise manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Asada, Kenichi Machida
  • Patent number: 8560204
    Abstract: An engine control system includes an air control module, a spark control module, and a reserves module. The air control module controls a throttle valve of an engine based on an adjusted predicted torque request. The spark control module controls spark timing of the engine based on an adjusted immediate torque request. The reserves module determines an arbitrated reserve based on a maximum one of a minimum reserve and an additive reserve sum. The reserves module also generates the adjusted predicted torque request based on a sum of an arbitrated predicted torque request and a requested reserve, wherein the requested reserve is based on the arbitrated reserve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Inventors: Robert C. Simon, Jr., Christopher E. Whitney, Leonard G. Wozniak
  • Patent number: 8464529
    Abstract: A method of operating a turbocharged engine having cylinders in which one of the cylinders undergoes a compression stroke. The method includes advancing an ignition spark in the one of the cylinders undergoing the compression stroke by a first amount relative to top dead center of the compression stroke at a first barometric pressure for a given engine speed and load, and advancing the ignition spark in the one of the cylinders undergoing the compression stroke by a second, lesser amount relative to top dead center of the compression stroke at a second, lower barometric pressure, for the given engine speed and load as the vehicle being at different altitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Felix Nedorezov, Ken Jahr
  • Patent number: 8447498
    Abstract: Even when an engine is started in various combustion states, an excessive increase in engine speed at the start of the engine is suppressed without an influence of the combustion states and with an excellent responsiveness. Ignition timing (or a combustion injection amount) at the start of an internal combustion engine is corrected in accordance with a crank angle cycle ratio which is a ratio of a combustion period crank angle cycle and a reference crank angle cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Minoru Okubo, Takao Miyake, Tomohiro Ohisa
  • Patent number: 8307807
    Abstract: An idle control device for an engine is provided that can prevent delay in return to a target revolution speed which may cause unpleasant vehicle vibration or lead to an engine stall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiko Ono
  • Patent number: 8251042
    Abstract: When a fuel-supply cutoff condition is satisfied, an ECU executes a program including: calculating the target torque; detecting the engine speed NE; calculating the target KL based on the target torque, NE and MBT; controlling an engine using the throttle valve opening amount based on the target KL, the base fuel ignition timing, and the fuel injection amount based on the current KL until the target KL becomes equal to or lower than the KL lower limit; controlling the engine using the throttle valve opening amount based on the KL lower limit, NE, the target ignition timing calculated based on the current KL and the target torque, and the fuel injection amount based on the current KL when the target KL reaches the KL lower limit; and actually starting a fuel-supply cutoff when the target ignition timing reaches the retardation limit timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Ito
  • Patent number: 8240297
    Abstract: A method for engine starting is provided. The method may include performing idle-stop operation, and during a subsequent re-start, applying multi-strike ignition operation for a first combustion cycle. In this way, improved engine starting may be achieved with reduced emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Jianwen James Yi, Brad Alan VanDerWege, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Cindy Zhou, Steven Todd Wooldridge, David Reiche
  • Publication number: 20120193112
    Abstract: A method controls the rotational speed limiting of an engine in a handheld work apparatus. The crankshaft of the engine drives a worktool via a clutch which engages in dependence on the motor rotational speed. Above an engaging speed of the clutch, a drive connection with the crankshaft is made and below the engaging speed, the drive connection is interrupted. A speed control unit monitors the rotational speed of the engine and includes a rotational speed lock circuit which limits the speed to a limit below the engaging speed. During the start of the engine, the lock circuit is switched on; it is switched off after the engine has been taken into operation when a deactivation signal is present, wherein the deactivation signal is generated when an operation change signal of the work apparatus is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Fabian Gwosdz, Claus Naegele
  • Publication number: 20120145123
    Abstract: An idle control device for an engine is provided that can prevent delay in return to a target revolution speed which may cause unpleasant vehicle vibration or lead to an engine stall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiko ONO
  • Patent number: 8181629
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electric motor configured to rotate the engine is provided. The method includes, during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to substantially before a peak torque timing. The method further includes adjusting motor torque output of the electric motor to maintain engine idle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Gopichandra Surnilla, Nate Trask
  • Patent number: 8161941
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine which, at cold starting, enables an ignition timing retard control for warm-up of a catalyst device and a speed feedback control by means of ignition timing for converging an engine speed to a target speed includes a function for comparing a final ignition timing with a retard lower limit value, and a function for changing the target speed based upon the result of the comparing. When the final ignition timing reaches the retard lower limit value, the target speed is increased by a predetermined speed and when a difference between the final ignition timing and the retard lower limit value exceeds a predetermined angle on an advance side, the target speed is decreased by a predetermined speed. In this way, at cold starting, the engine speed is early converged to the target speed while restricting rotational variations and early warm-up of a catalyst device can be certainly realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kota Sata, Koichi Ueda
  • Patent number: 8131453
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for expediting engine spin-down in an engine that is shutdown during engine idle-stop conditions and restarted during restart conditions. In one example, the method comprises, during an automatic engine idle-stop, turning off spark, operating a first cylinder with a rich ratio of air to injected fuel richer than a rich flammability limit, operating a second cylinder with a lean ratio of air to injected fuel leaner than a lean flammability limit, and mixing un-combusted exhaust from the first and second cylinders with exhaust, the exhaust mixture being substantially stoichiometric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, John D. Russell
  • Patent number: 8118008
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders is provided. The method comprises: during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to before a peak torque timing, and retarding spark timing from the advanced timing toward the peak torque timing in response to decreased engine speed to maintain idling speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Gopichandra Surnilla, Nate Trask
  • Patent number: 8090518
    Abstract: In a first operating mode, as a function of the determined torque request value at least one first final control element is actuated influencing an air path of an engine. Representative of an actual basic torque value, a specific engine characteristic value is determined as a function of which, a filter parameter value is determined such that a torque setpoint value is brought closer to the actual basic torque value. The filter parameter value is saved assigned to the specific characteristic value. In a second operating mode, the filter parameter value is determined as a function of the specific characteristic value and the setpoint torque value is predefined by filtering the driver-requested torque value as a function of the determined parameter value. As a function of the predefined setpoint torque value, at least one second final control element is actuated which influences the drive system torque outside the air path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Lang
  • Patent number: 8047188
    Abstract: A method for engine starting is provided. The method may include performing idle-stop operation, and during a subsequent re-start, applying multi-strike ignition operation for a first combustion cycle. In this way, improved engine starting may be achieved with reduced emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Jianwen James Yi, Brad Alan VanDerWege, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Cindy Zhou, Steven Todd Wooldridge, David Reiche
  • Patent number: 7997252
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electric motor configured to rotate the engine is provided. The method includes, during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to substantially before a peak torque timing. The method further includes adjusting motor torque output of the electric motor to maintain engine idle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Gopichandra Surnilla, Nate Trask
  • Patent number: 7975670
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program including: detecting the engine speed NE and the current KL (S1010, S1020) when the ISC learning control is started (“YES” in S1000); changing the ignition efficiency so that the NE and the output torque are kept unchanged even when the throttle valve opening amount changes (S1030); calculating the target torque by multiplying the ISC target torque by the ignition efficiency (S1040); calculating the target KL based on the target torque, the NE and the MBT (S1050); calculating the throttle valve opening amount based on the target KL (S1060); calculating the target ignition timing based on the NE, the current KL and the target torque (S1070); and controlling an engine using the calculated throttle valve opening amount, ignition timing and fuel injection amount (S1080).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Ito
  • Patent number: 7933711
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for expediting engine spin-down in an engine that is shutdown during engine idle-stop conditions and restarted during restart conditions. In one example, the method comprises, during an automatic engine idle-stop, turning off spark, operating a first cylinder with a rich ratio of air to injected fuel richer than a rich flammability limit, operating a second cylinder with a lean ratio of air to injected fuel leaner than a lean flammability limit, and mixing un-combusted exhaust from the first and second cylinders with exhaust, the exhaust mixture being substantially stoichiometric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, John D. Russell
  • Publication number: 20110041801
    Abstract: A method for engine starting is provided. The method may include performing idle-stop operation, and during a subsequent re-start, applying multi-strike ignition operation for a first combustion cycle. In this way, improved engine starting may be achieved with reduced emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Jianwen James Yi, Brad Alan VanDerWege, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Cindy Zhou, Steven Todd Wooldridge, David Reiche
  • Patent number: 7854217
    Abstract: A spark ignition internal combustion engine in which, during an idling operation, the ignition timing is changed temporarily to the advance side or retard size with respect to the reference ignition timing so that when the engine speed deviates from the target idling speed, the engine speed becomes the target idling speed. When the actual compression ratio at the time of idling is changed, the reference ignition timing at the time of idling is made to move until the ignition timing at which the same generated torque of the engine is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nakasaka
  • Publication number: 20100300404
    Abstract: A method for operation of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine may include one or more combustion chambers, a fuel delivery system including a direct fuel injector coupled to each combustion chamber, an ignition system including one or more spark plugs coupled to each combustion chamber, a piston disposed within each combustion chamber, and an intake and an exhaust valve coupled to each combustion chamber, the internal combustion engine providing motive power to the vehicle. The method may include discontinuing combustion operation within the internal combustion engine responsive to idle-stop operation. The method may further include, during a direct-start, performing multi-strike ignition operation per combustion cycle via one or more selected spark plug(s) for at least a first combustion cycle in a combustion chamber following the discontinuation of combustion operation, the one or more selected spark plug(s) coupled to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Jianwen James Yi, Brad Alan VanDerWege, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Cindy Zhou, Steven Todd Wooldridge, David Reiche