Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes input-side and output-side rotating elements, a fuel injection controller, and an ignition timing controller. The ignition timing controller controls ignition timing of an engine to first timing on the condition that the engine is controlled from a fuel cut state to a fuel injection state, and afterwards, changes the ignition timing to second timing on advance side of the first timing. The ignition timing controller changes the ignition timing toward the second timing at a first change rate until a rotational acceleration rate of the output-side rotating element reaches a threshold. After the rotational acceleration rate of the output-side rotating element reaches the threshold, the ignition timing controller changes the ignition timing toward the second timing at a second change rate greater than the first change rate.

Abstract: An ignition system for an engine is disclosed. The ignition system may have an igniter connected to selectively ignite a fuel mixture within the engine, at least one sensor configured to sense operation information of the engine and generate corresponding signals, and a controller in communication with the igniter and the at least one sensor. The controller may be configured to cause a first striking of the igniter to ignite the fuel mixture, make a determination that the fuel mixture has been ignited by the igniter based on the signals, and selectively cease striking of the igniter based on the determination.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjust spark timing based on ambient humidity and transient tip-in parameters. In one example, a method may include, during a tip-in, retarding spark timing based on each of ambient humidity, peak air charge, and rate of change of air charge. As such, the spark timing retard may be higher at lower humidity levels, and the spark timing retard may be lower at higher humidity levels.

Abstract: A method and system for operating an engine includes operating the engine with a first plurality of parameters associated with a first fuel type, comparing a detonation signal a first to a first voltage threshold, forming a plurality of vectors by storing detonation signal values that exceed the first voltage threshold, in vectors as vector values wherein later in time vectors include previous vector values, summing vector values for each vector to form a plurality of sum values and when one of the plurality of sums values exceeds a sum threshold, changing an engine controller to operate with a second plurality of parameters associated with a second fuel type.

Abstract: A device for detecting a flow of air from an exit end of a tube fed into an entrance end of the tube, including a bore having a first section with a first size bore size and a second section with a second bore size, an obstruction located within the bore between the first section and the second section, the obstruction configured to obstruct air flowing from the first section to the second section, and fixing means to fix the device to the tube so that the bore communicates with the exit end of the tube, wherein in use, an air pressure sensor is used to compare air pressure within the first bore section and air pressure within the second bore section, so that a pressure differential is indicative of an air flow within the bore.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of enhancing the accuracy of fuel control and ignition timing control even when there is a possibility that the reliability of a calculated intake air amount lowers, and enables reduction of manufacturing costs. An ECU of the control system calculates a first estimated intake air amount according to a valve lift, a cam phase, and a compression ratio, calculates a second estimated intake air amount according to the flow rate of air detected by an air flow sensor. The ECU determines a fuel injection amount according to the first estimated intake air amount when an estimated flow rate Gin_vt calculated based on an engine speed, the valve lift, the cam phase, and the compression ratio is within the range of Gin_vt?Gin1, and according to the second estimated intake air amount when Gin2?Gin_vt.

Abstract: A knock control system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders. Operation of the engine is switchable between a partial-cylinder operation for operating some of the cylinders and an all-cylinder operation for operating all of the cylinders. A determination threshold for determining knocking is set according to an output signal from the knock sensor. A level of the output signal from the knock sensor is compared with the determination threshold, and occurrence of knocking is determined according to a result of the comparison. The determination threshold used during the partial-cylinder operation is set to a value less than a value of the determination threshold used during the all-cylinder operation.

Abstract: Under engine operating conditions in which a default setting for a knock determination period overlaps with a fuel injection period during which fuel is injected by a fuel injector, the fuel injection timing and the knock determination period are set in correlation with each other such that the knock determination period is shorter than its default setting so the fuel injection period and the knock determination period no longer overlap. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid a case in which noise produced by operation of the fuel injector rides on an output signal from a knock sensor during the knock determination period, and thus inhibit a decrease in accuracy of the knock determination due to that noise.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling timing of an internal combustion engine having a piston located in a cylinder. The method and apparatus includes determining a first angular position of a crankshaft at a first location along a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft, determining a second angular position of the crankshaft at a second location along the longitudinal axis, determining a level of deformation of the crankshaft as a function of a difference between the first and second angular positions, determining an actual position of the piston as a function of the crankshaft deformation, comparing the actual piston position to a desired piston position, and controlling timing of an event to initiate combustion in the cylinder as a function of a difference between the actual and desired piston positions.

Abstract: A method for knock control during KC emergency operation with which, given low application expenditure, a torque gain can be attained, while the application reliability increases. The method for knock control of multi-cylinder internal combustion engines having 2n cylinders, a cylinder counter, at least one knock sensor and an evaluation unit for evaluating the knock-sensor signal with the aid of an individual knock-recognition characteristic for each cylinder, is characterized in that during KC emergency operation, cylinder pairs are formed from the cylinders operating offset in each case by 360°, and the minimal value of the two knock-recognition characteristics of the cylinder pair is assumed in each case as the knock-recognition threshold for the cylinders of the cylinder pair affected by the malfunction of the phase recognition.

Abstract: Even in the rapid change of a knock sensor output signal level (noise level) at a transition, a knock erroneous judgement due to noise is prevented in a state where knock controllability is secured. It is judged whether or not a transition state occurs, on the basis of a change of an operating state of an internal combustion engine and under a predetermined judgement condition, and in the case where the transition state occurs, at the time of the judgement of the transition state and during a predetermined time after the judgement, a correction value of a peak hold value of the knock sensor output signal is calculated.

Abstract: Even in the rapid change of a knock sensor output signal level (noise level) at a transition, a knock erroneous judgement due to noise is prevented in a state where knock controllability is secured. It is judged whether or not a transition state occurs, on the basis of a change of an operating state of an internal combustion engine and under a predetermined judgement condition, and in the case where the transition state occurs, at the time of the judgement of the transition state and during a predetermined time after the judgement, a correction value of a peak hold value of the knock sensor output signal is calculated.

Abstract: A method for ignition control is described in which the load gradient is determined. The load gradient is compared with a first specifiable dynamic threshold and the ignition control variable is additively retarded by application of an adaptable dynamic derivative action if the load gradient exceeds the first dynamic threshold. If the load gradient exceeds a second specifiable dynamic threshold and no knock occurs, then the output dynamic derivative action is reduced so that the ignition is advanced again.

Abstract: A device for controlling knocking of an internal combustion engine featuring improved reliability by preventing signals of the knocking level from being erroneously detected as those of the noise level. The device detects an ionic current flowing through a spark plug, counts a signal of the knocking level from the ionic current, establishes an average knocking level from the signals of the knocking level and determines a background level from the average knocking level. A comparator judges the knocking state by comparing the signal of the knocking level with the background level. The device calculates the control quantity of the engine based on the operation conditions and the result of judgement of knocking. The device further judges a transient state and decreases the average knocking level depending upon a transience judgment signal in order to maintain a background level in a transient state at an optimum value.