With Fail-safe, Backup Or Malfunction Detecting Means Patents (Class 123/406.13)
  • Patent number: 6804564
    Abstract: A system for controlling and/or monitoring a control-unit group having at least two control units, a first control unit and at least one second control unit, the first control unit being designed for performing its control function and for monitoring this control function, as well as for monitoring the control function of the at least one second control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Crispin, Wolfgang Haas, Andreas Frank, Thomas Meier
  • Patent number: 6769401
    Abstract: There is provided a power output control system for an internal combustion engine, which enables the vehicle to smoothly perform refuge travel to find a place to park when an electric throttle control device becomes incapable of controlling a throttle valve, while ensuring adequate traveling performance. An ECU determines whether or not the electric throttle control device is incapable of controlling the throttle valve, and interrupts energization of the electric throttle control device when it is determined that the electric throttle control device is incapable of controlling the throttle valve. At this time, the opening of the throttle valve is held at the default opening degree by a spring. Further, basic ignition timing is calculated according to the engine rotational speed and load on the engine, and ignition timing of the engine is determined by correcting the calculated basic ignition timing according to the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Tachibana, Norio Suzuki, Manabu Niki
  • Patent number: 6754611
    Abstract: There is provided a failure diagnostic system for an atmospheric pressure detecting device, which is capable of rationally determining whether that device has failed or not and is capable of improving the diagnostic accuracy. The failure diagnostic system is comprised of an atmospheric pressure sensor for detecting an atmospheric pressure of the air taken into an engine; a condition determination section for determining that conditions required for determining that the atmospheric pressure sensor has failed are satisfied if the number of operations, in each of which the engine continuously operates for a predetermined period of time, has exceeded a predetermined number; and a failure diagnosis section for determining that the atmospheric pressure sensor has failed if a variation in the atmospheric pressure over a period of time equivalent to that predetermined number is equal to or less than a predetermined value and the required conditions have been satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Nagashima, Kenji Saito, Hidetugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 6745748
    Abstract: An engine control system executes given control tasks, for example, at a 30° angular interval of an engine crank shaft. If a failure of a crank sensor has occurred, it becomes impossible to determine the 30° angular interval of the crank shaft. In this case, the engine control system works to calculate one-third of an interval (e.g., a 90° crank angle) between consecutive inputs of cam angular position signals to define a dummy 30° crank angle as a trigger for initiating the control tasks. If the cam angular position signal is inputted before the number of times the control tasks should be executed, in sequence, at an interval of the dummy 30° crank angle is not yet reached, each of the control tasks is executed immediately the same number of times as that the control task has not yet been executed at the dummy 30° crank angle time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6732708
    Abstract: In an automotive engine control apparatus used for a multi-cylinder engine where both an injection coil and an ignition coil are employed with each of multiple cylinders, abnormal states are systematically detected, while an injection system is mutually interconnected with an ignition system as to these abnormal states. The injection coils are driven via a first switch element by a microprocessor, and injection operations of these injection coils are monitored by a first detection circuit. The ignition primary coils are driven via a second switch element by the microprocessor, and ignition operations of these ignition coils are monitored by a second detection circuit. The microprocessor controls drive stopping means to perform a turn-out drive operation such that this drive stopping means stops both a fuel injection operation and an ignition operation of an abnormal-operated cylinder with respect to an abnormal state occurred in either the injection system or the ignition system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Nishizawa, Tetsushi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6732042
    Abstract: An ECU defines consecutively ignited three cylinders as first, second and third subject cylinders. The ECU first adds up the rotation fluctuation amount at the second subject cylinder and the rotation fluctuation amount at the third subject cylinder and sets the resultant as an added-up fluctuation amount. The ECU then determines whether the type of an occurring misfire is a single-cylinder misfire based on the added-up fluctuation amount. When the type of the occurring misfire is not a single-cylinder misfire, the ECU obtains the difference between the rotation fluctuation amount at the second subject cylinder and the rotation fluctuation amount at the third subject cylinder as a fluctuation amount deviation. Then, the ECU determines whether the type of the occurring misfire is a consecutive-two-cylinder misfire or an intermittent-two-cylinder misfire based on the fluctuation amount deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Katayama
  • Publication number: 20030225504
    Abstract: An ECU defines consecutively ignited three cylinders as first, second and third subject cylinders. The ECU first adds up the rotation fluctuation amount at the second subject cylinder and the rotation fluctuation amount at the third subject cylinder and sets the resultant as an added-up fluctuation amount. The ECU then determines whether the type of an occurring misfire is a single-cylinder misfire based on the added-up fluctuation amount. When the type of the occurring misfire is not a single-cylinder misfire, the ECU obtains the difference between the rotation fluctuation amount at the second subject cylinder and the rotation fluctuation amount at the third subject cylinder as a fluctuation amount deviation. Then, the ECU determines whether the type of the occurring misfire is a consecutive-two-cylinder misfire or an intermittent-two-cylinder misfire based on the fluctuation amount deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Katayama
  • Patent number: 6647959
    Abstract: A fail-safe device includes an intake air amount sensor, a throttle position sensor for detecting a throttle opening degree of an electronic throttle controller, an accelerator position sensor for detecting an accelerator opening degree as an amount of pressing down on an accelerator, an intake air amount control unit for controlling the intake air amount to the engine, a target air-fuel ratio control unit for controlling a fuel injection amount to be supplied to the engine, a target ignition timing control unit for controlling ignition timing of air-fuel mixture inside a cylinder of the engine; and an electronic throttle control system abnormality warning unit for deciding, when a first requirement and a second requirement are satisfied based on the output of each sensor, that the electronic throttle controller is in failure, and for, prior to warning of the abnormality of the electronic throttle controller, controlling each of the control units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuro Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20030183194
    Abstract: A fail-safe device includes an intake air amount sensor, a throttle position sensor for detecting a throttle opening degree of an electronic throttle controller, an accelerator position sensor for detecting an accelerator opening degree as an amount of pressing down on an accelerator, an intake air amount control unit for controlling the intake air amount to the engine, a target air-fuel ratio control unit for controlling a fuel injection amount to be supplied to the engine, a target ignition timing control unit for controlling ignition timing of air-fuel mixture inside a cylinder of the engine; and an electronic throttle control system abnormality warning unit for deciding, when a first requirement and a second requirement are satisfied based on the output of each sensor, that the electronic throttle controller is in failure, and for, prior to warning of the abnormality of the electronic throttle controller, controlling each of the control units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 6619260
    Abstract: The method serves for input signal correction of a misfire detection function and for cylinder equalization in an internal combustion engine, especially of a motor vehicle. Here, it is provided that a control for the input signal correction (10) and a control of the cylinder equalization (11) are activated alternatively by an alternative circuit unit (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Lehner, Andrea Lohmann, Stephan Uhl
  • Publication number: 20030164155
    Abstract: An electronic control unit for controlling a fuel injection amount of a two-cycle internal combustion engine with an exhaust control valve wherein the electronic control unit comprises an injection amount determination means for determining the fuel injection amount at various control conditions, a valve abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality of operation of the exhaust control valve, and an injector driving means for driving an injector so as to inject fuel of the amount determined by the injection amount determination means from the injector. The injection amount determination means determines the injection amount so that when the valve abnormality detection means detects the abnormality of operation of the exhaust control valve, an air-fuel mixture is made in a rich state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Arakawa, Kouji Sasaki, Yoshikazu Tsukada, Mitsugu Koike
  • Patent number: 6578550
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting the reverse rotation of a rotating part of an internal combustion engine, having a crankshaft (3) whose rotation, by means of a sensor (6) and a detector disk (2) which is connected to the crankshaft (3) and has a reference mark (5) and a multitude of similar angle marks (4), are sent by the sensor (6) to a control unit (1) in the form of pulses, having a camshaft (7) whose rotation is detected by means of an absolute angle detector (8), wherein the output signal of the absolute angle detector (8) steadily rises or falls within a period depending on the rotation direction of the camshaft 7. The output signal of the absolute angle detector (8) is supplied to the control unit (1) for processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ingolf Rupp, Michael Lehner
  • Publication number: 20030106528
    Abstract: A two-cycle internal combustion engine has an ignition timing that varies with engine speed. A plurality of ignition patterns (the relationship between ignition timing and engine speed) are used. The engine exhaust gas temperature is sensed and is used to determine the particular ignition pattern used at a particular time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventor: Greg L. Spaulding
  • Publication number: 20030094157
    Abstract: There is provided a power output control system for an internal combustion engine, which enables the vehicle to smoothly perform refuge travel to find a place to park when an electric throttle control device becomes incapable of controlling a throttle valve, while ensuring adequate traveling performance. An ECU determines whether or not the electric throttle control device is incapable of controlling the throttle valve, and interrupts energization of the electric throttle control device when it is determined that the electric throttle control device is incapable of controlling the throttle valve. At this time, the opening of the throttle valve is held at the default opening degree by a spring. Further, basic ignition timing is calculated according to the engine rotational speed and load on the engine, and ignition timing of the engine is determined by correcting the calculated basic ignition timing according to the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Tachibana, Norio Suzuki, Manabu Niki
  • Patent number: 6546911
    Abstract: A default engine control method for an internal combustion engine recovers from the loss of a high-resolution engine position signal by calculating a high resolution pulse period based on a recognized pattern of a low resolution engine position signal. Interrupts for signaling the execution of cycle-related control algorithms are scheduled in time based on the calculated pulse period, and pulse period errors due to changing engine speed are periodically corrected based on the timing of subsequent transitions in the low resolution position signal relative to the scheduled interrupts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Salem Ahmad Fayyad, Peter Hull Maehling, Charles O. James, Jr., Kenneth M. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20030062025
    Abstract: An electronic engine control unit for a motorcycle or other two-wheeled vehicle gradually decreases engine torque at the time of a failure so as to eliminate an uneasy feeling that an operator might experience if the engine torque were to be reduced abruptly. When a failure is detected, a throttle valve is closed gradually by initially closing the valve quickly and then slowly closing the valve so as to obtain a smooth decrease in engine torque. In addition, the ignition timing is changed gradually toward retardation to gradually decrease engine torque. Alternatively, the ignition pulses to the cylinders are thinned out gradually to cause a gradual decrease in engine torque. As a further alternative in the case of a multi-cylinder engine, the ignition pulses are stopped on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis to cause a gradual decrease in engine torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Haruhiko Samoto, Tomoaki Kishi
  • Publication number: 20030015174
    Abstract: In an automotive engine control apparatus used for a multi-cylinder engine where both an injection coil and an ignition coil are employed with each of multiple cylinders, abnormal states are systematically detected, while an injection system is mutually interconnected with an ignition system as to these abnormal states. The injection coils are driven via a first switch element by a microprocessor, and injection operations of these injection coils are monitored by a first detection circuit. The ignition primary coils are driven via a second switch element by the microprocessor, and ignition operations of these ignition coils are monitored by a second detection circuit. The microprocessor controls drive stopping means to perform a turn-out drive operation such that this drive stopping means stops both a fuel injection operation and an ignition operation of an abnormal-operated cylinder with respect to an abnormal state occurred in either the injection system or the ignition system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Nishizawa, Tetsushi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6474302
    Abstract: To obtain a knock control apparatus for internal-combustion engine having a function of judging whether or not the causes for failure have been solved for returning to normal knock control at the time of the solution, and capable of easily judging failure even in a failure mode in which it is difficult to raise the filter value and it is difficult to judge the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takahashi, Koichi Okamura, Mitsuru Koiwa, Tsutomu Morishita
  • Publication number: 20020152990
    Abstract: A two-cycle internal combustion engine has an ignition timing that varies with engine speed. A plurality of ignition patterns (the relationship between ignition timing and engine speed) are used. The engine exhaust gas temperature is sensed and is used to determine the particular ignition pattern used at a particular time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: Arctic Cat, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg L. Spaulding
  • Patent number: 6336439
    Abstract: A method of controlling functions of an internal-combustion engine having electrically operated actuators for controlling engine functions, includes the following steps: detecting control-relevant operational data by a sensor arrangement; applying the detected operational data to a first, engine-integrated electronic engine control system; controlling the actuators by control signals from the first electronic engine control system through a power unit; applying the operational data to a second, external electronic engine control system in synchronism with the operational data applied to the first electronic engine control system; generating control signals at an output of the second electronic engine control system; applying, to the power unit, control signals emanating from the second electronic engine control system for the actuator of at least one selected engine function; and simultaneously with the preceding step, removing from the power unit control signals emanating from the first electronic engine con
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: FEV Motorentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Frohn, Ekkehard Schrey
  • Patent number: 6237566
    Abstract: A two-cycle internal combustion engine has an ignition timing that varies with engine speed. A plurality of ignition patterns (the relationship between ignition timing and engine speed) are used. The engine exhaust gas temperature is sensed and is used to determine the particular ignition pattern used at a particular time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventor: Greg L. Spaulding