Including Cylinder Pressure Or Temperature Responsive Means Patents (Class 123/435)
  • Patent number: 7334561
    Abstract: According to the invention, noise of an internal combustion engine is reduced by dynamically correcting the moment of injection when the engine is in the transient mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Klemens Neunteufl, Eduard Unger, Christian Roduner
  • Patent number: 7334568
    Abstract: In addition to a knock detection filter, a plurality of optimal knock frequency detection filters (digital filters: BPFs) are provided which filter the signals output from a knock sensor and has mutually different filtering frequency bands. A presently optimal frequency is selected based on the signals extracted by the optimal frequency detection filters, and set as the center frequency of the filtering frequency band of the knock detection filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Kobayashi, Satoshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 7325535
    Abstract: An engine controller controls an actuator for selectively executing spark-ignited combustion and compression-ignited combustion of an internal combustion engine in accordance with an engine operational state. The controller is comprises of a deterioration recognition section for recognizing a deterioration state of the engine or the actuator during the spark-ignited combustion. The engine controller is configured to change at least one of a switching condition between the spark-ignited combustion and compression-ignited combustion and an operational condition for the compression-ignited combustion, during the spark-ignited combustion, in accordance with the deterioration state of the engine or the actuator recognized by the deterioration recognition section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Kumano, Shiro Yamaoka, Hiromu Kakuya
  • Patent number: 7325529
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling to a target heat release rate (HRR) uses an HRR control lever, namely, pilot fuel timing and/or pilot fuel quantity, used in a gaseous-fuelled compression ignition internal combustion engine. The mechanism to control HRR to a target HRR improves engine performance and emissions. A target HRR is determined for a cycle of an engine. An HRR control lever is then used to adjust to the target HRR in consideration of combustion conditions in the engine and the difference between the target HRR and cycle HRR predicted for the cycle by reference to, by way of example, a derived HRR trace from a previous cycle, a pressure trace, a measured property of the exhaust gas directly determined or mapped values provided during calibration allowing for adjustment to a target HRR for the engine. The mapped values can be cross-referenced to engine combustion conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Ancimer, Konstantin Tanin, Tim Frazier, Sandeep Munshi
  • Patent number: 7322341
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel injection valve. A fuel injection timing is determined according to the detected engine operating condition. A target ignition timing of the fuel is calculated using a plurality of maps that store the target ignition timings according to the engine operating condition and an actual ignition timing of the fuel is detected. An ignition delay of the actual ignition timing with respect to the target ignition timing is calculated. The cetane number of the fuel is estimated according to the calculated ignition delay. The map to be used in calculating the target ignition timing is switched according to the estimated cetane number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamaguchi, Mamoru Hasegawa, Naoto Kitayama, Hideki Sakamoto, Akira Odajima
  • Patent number: 7320307
    Abstract: A method for improving engine intake manifold pressure control of an internal combustion engine is described. According to one aspect of the description, the manifold pressure may be controlled to reduce fuel consumption and engine emissions during at least some operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nate R. Trask, Thomas W. Megli
  • Patent number: 7320308
    Abstract: A method/system for measuring cylinder pressures of an internal combustion engine includes a crank angle sensor utilized to generate pressure readings at known angular intervals. Additional time-based pressure measurements are taken in selected angular windows between a pair of the angle-based pressure readings. Because the angle-based pressure measurements and the time-based pressure measurements occur at known times, the pressure as a function of the crank angle for the time-based pressure measurements can be determined. The cylinder pressure measurements can be utilized to calculate combustion parameters used for closed-loop engine control of fuel supply or other engine inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Clinton W. Erickson, James E. Walters, Karl A. Schten
  • Patent number: 7318421
    Abstract: A startup controller calculates a fuel pressure difference across a discharge stroke of a high-pressure pump at an end of an initial discharge after cranking is started. At the injection setting, the startup controller estimates a fuel pressure increment from an injection setting to an injection start based on the fuel pressure difference. The startup controller adds the fuel pressure increment to a fuel pressure sensed at the injection setting to estimate a fuel pressure at the injection start. The startup controller determines whether to perform or to prohibit the injection based on whether the estimated fuel pressure at the injection start is equal to or higher than an injection permission fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 7314033
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg, John B. Heywood
  • Patent number: 7313918
    Abstract: A reciprocating engine includes a turbocharging unit that: supplies the intake manifold with air via a coolant; is supplied with gas by the exhaust manifold; and has the turbine supply pressure substantially equal to the compressor discharge pressure. At constant air temperature, the turbocharging unit delivers a substantially constant volume of cooled air when the pressure varies, and the volume is substantially proportional to the turbine outlet section. The turbine pressure is maintained substantially equal to compressor pressure by a EGR bypass between the intake and exhaust manifold. In addition, the volume of air is less than the volume drawn in at the speed so that a flow of hot gases is drawn in again via the bypass above the speed, where the volume drawn in is equal to the volume, and a flow of air is deflected towards the turbine below the speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Inventor: Jean Frédéric Melchior
  • Patent number: 7311080
    Abstract: An idle rotational speed controller of an internal combustion engine includes an intake path for supplying air to a combustion chamber. An auxiliary intake path communicates the intake path on upstream and downstream sides of a throttle valve in the intake path. An opening/closing type control valve in the auxiliary intake path controls an idling intake amount. An intake pressure detecting unit detects an intake pressure of the intake path, and a fuel supplying unit controls the amount of fuel supplied to the combustion chamber based on the detected intake pressure. A controlling unit synchronizes a drive reference position for driving to open or close the control valve with a timing of detecting the intake pressure by the intake pressure detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasutaka Mine
  • Patent number: 7310575
    Abstract: A knock sensor signal processing apparatus for an engine, which performs a series of A/D conversions of a knock sensor signal during each of successive knock judgement intervals to obtain A/D converted values for use in judging if engine knocking is occurring in a cylinder, derives compensation coefficients during an interval between the end of a knock judgement interval corresponding to a cylinder and the start of deriving knock sensor signal A/D values in a succeeding knock judgement interval for a succeeding cylinder, and applies these coefficients to correct the A/D converted values derived in the second knock judgement interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takayoshi Honda
  • Patent number: 7305964
    Abstract: In a method for operating a self ignition internal combustion engine in which fuel is injected directly into a combustion chamber by means of an injection nozzle, such that a portion of the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber as a pre-injection amount forming a homogenous pre-mixture providing for a combustion phase comprising a low temperature phase and a high temperature phase and the main fuel amount is injected into the combustion chamber during the high temperature phase of the pre-injection fuel combustion such that the ignition of the main injection amount takes place after the start and before the end of the high temperature phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Michael Scherrieble, Siegfried Weber
  • Patent number: 7299784
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided in which fuel pressure is changed and fuel injection is controlled in accordance with engine operating conditions. The internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder, a direct injection injector, a detection unit, and a control unit. The control unit includes two maps describing two factors of a fuel injection characteristic coefficient and an invalid injection period with respect to the fuel pressure of the direct injection injector. A first calculating section calculates a required fuel injection quantity. A second calculating section calculates a required fuel injection period in accordance with the required fuel injection quantity and the two factors of the fuel injection characteristic coefficient and the invalid injection period with respect to the fuel pressure. A controlling section controls the fuel injection such that the fuel is injected for the required fuel injection period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takefumi Uchida, Yutaka Iwami, Takeo Kondo, Hideyuki Ishiyama
  • Patent number: 7299788
    Abstract: When fuel supply is stopped while an engine is decelerating, pressure in each cylinder is detected using a pressure sensor, and the peak value of the pressure in each cylinder is determined. Also, an intake air amount is detected when the fuel supply is stopped, and the allowable range of the peak value is calculated based on the intake air amount. When the peak value of the pressure in a cylinder is in the allowable range, it is determined that a charged air amount in the cylinder is in a target amount range. When the peak value of the pressure in a cylinder is out of the allowable range, it is determined that the charged air amount in the cylinder is out of the target amount range, and a warning device is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Hoshi, Kenji Sakurai, Makoto Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 7296556
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel injector located in a combustion chamber of the engine for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber. The fuel injection timing stored in a fuel injection timing map is retrieved according to the detected engine operating condition to determine the fuel injection timing. An actual ignition timing of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber is detected. An ignition delay of the actual ignition timing with respect to the target ignition timing, which is set according to the engine operating condition and a fuel injection timing correction amount, is calculated according to the calculated ignition delay. The fuel injection timing is corrected with the fuel injection timing correction amount, and the fuel injection is executed according to the corrected fuel injection timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamaguchi, Yuichi Shimasaki, Mamoru Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20070265763
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of accurately estimating an exhaust gas state parameter according to the properties of fuel, thereby making it possible to properly control the air-fuel ratio of a mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Shusuke Akazaki, Takahide Mizuno, Masayoshi Nishino, Mitsuo Hashizume
  • Publication number: 20070261671
    Abstract: An engine controller comprises a combustion state detection or estimation means for detecting or estimating a combustion state in the combustion chamber, a combustion air-fuel ratio estimation means for estimating a combustion air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber according to an exhaust air-fuel ratio and the detected or estimated combustion state, and a means for calculating engine control parameters according to the estimated combustion air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Kazuhiko Kanetoshi, Kozo Katogi, Takanobu Ichihara, Minoru Ohsuga
  • Patent number: 7295917
    Abstract: A method for determining a combustion chamber pressure of an internal combustion engine is described, which is used for a simple and accurate correction of the determined combustion chamber pressure. For this purpose, a first time curve of the combustion chamber pressure is compared with a second time curve of the combustion chamber pressure. A correction factor is determined as a function of the comparison result. The determined combustion chamber pressure is corrected via the correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Damitz, Michael Kessler, Ulrich Sommers
  • Patent number: 7290523
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine having a means (16) for directly injecting fuel as well as a means (22) for admitting at least one fluid into the combustion chamber, a cylinder (12), a burned-gas exhaust means (28), and a processing and control unit (48) receiving information on at least the driver's torque demand and the engine speed (Ne), comprising a) determining the desired torque (Torque_des) corresponding in particular to driver demand; b) from this desired torque, determining a desired Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP_des) from which the parameters (Mair_sp, BGR_sp) are established to control admission of at least one fluid into the combustion chamber; and c) determining a specified value of the IMEP (IMEP_sp) from the desired IMEP and at least one magnitude linked to the fluid admitted into the combustion chamber, to define the fuel injection parameters (Mfuel_i, SOI_i, Pfuel) in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Michel Castagne, Hervé Perrin
  • Patent number: 7289900
    Abstract: In an apparatus and method for determining the cetane number of a fuel by combustion of a sample in a constant volume combustion chamber filled with compressed air into which the fuel is injected via a temperature controlled injection nozzle, wherein means are provided for sensing the pressure in the combustion chamber and recording it for determining the cetane number therefrom, an automated sample supplier is provided adapted to accommodate a plurality of fuel samples and including means for selectively connecting a pump to a particular sample and pressurizing it for injection into the combustion chamber and means for heating the combustion chamber and means for cooling the injector nozzle are provided for maintaining these devices at desired temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventors: Peter Wilharm, Thomas Wilharm
  • Publication number: 20070246004
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine operating lean of stoichiometry is described. The engine comprises a multi-cylinder direct-injection engine, the engine operative in repetitive cycles each cycle comprising intake, compression, expansion, and exhaust strokes. The method comprises adapting a plurality of fuel injectors to directly inject a first and a second mass of fuel into the cylinders during each cycle. Pressure sensing devices monitor in-cylinder pressure in the cylinders during ongoing operation. The first mass of fuel is injected into one of the cylinders. A cylinder pressure ratio is determined in the cylinder subsequent to injecting the first mass of fuel based upon the monitored pressure. The first mass of fuel injected is adjusted during a subsequent cycle based upon the cylinder pressure ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Frederic Anton Matekunas, Paul Anthony Battiston, Patrick G. Szymkowicz, Anupam Gangopadhyay
  • Publication number: 20070250249
    Abstract: A workload calculation apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine, and an engine control unit are provided for accurately calculating a workload parameter indicative of the workload of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Katsura Okubo, Yuji Yasui, Masahiro Sato, Koichiro Shinozaki
  • Publication number: 20070250255
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method to determine a position of a piston in a cylinder of an engine during ongoing operation, comprising adapting pressure sensing devices to monitor in-cylinder pressure, and, operating the engine. In-cylinder pressure is monitored along with a corresponding engine crank position. The engine is operated in a motoring mode and in a cylinder firing mode, and a plurality of instantaneous in-cylinder pressure states are determined during compression and expansion strokes. Pressure ratios are determined based upon the instantaneous in-cylinder pressure states, which are used to determine an engine crank angle and compression ratio error and, adjust the monitored engine crank position based upon the crank angle error and readjust engine operation according to these sensed errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Frederic Anton Matekunas, Paul Anthony Battiston, Patrick G. Szymkowicz, Anupam Gangopadhyay
  • Publication number: 20070245818
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method to operate a direct-injection engine operative at various air/fuel ratios. The method comprises monitoring in-cylinder pressure, along with a corresponding engine crank position to periodically to determine instantaneous in-cylinder pressure states corresponding to the engine crank position during compression and expansion. Pressure ratios are determined based upon the instantaneous in-cylinder pressure states. A combustion heat release is determined based upon the pressure ratios. An aspect of the invention comprises extending the operation to diesel, diesel premixed and to HCCI engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Frederic Anton Matekunas, Paul Anthony Battiston, Patrick G. Szymkowicz, Anupam Gangopadhyay
  • Patent number: 7284506
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber having a piston disposed therein, wherein the combustion chamber is configured to receive air, a first fuel and a second fuel to form a substantially homogeneous mixture, and wherein the piston is configured to compress said mixture so that auto-ignition of said mixture is achieved is disclosed. The method comprises varying the amount of at least one of the first fuel and the second fuel that is received by the combustion chamber to adjust the timing of auto-ignition, where the first fuel includes diesel fuel and the second fuel includes such low cetane fuels as: methanol and ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Harold Sun, Zafar Furcan Shaikh
  • Patent number: 7281509
    Abstract: The start control procedure of the invention lags an open-close timing VVT of an intake valve, restricts a throttle opening TH of a throttle valve, and starts cranking an engine with a lower torque Tlow. When a pressure Pf of a fuel supplied to in-cylinder fuel injection valves reaches or exceeds a preset reference value, which is greater than a sum of an in-cylinder compression pressure Pin and a closed valve position-retaining pressure Pcv of the in-cylinder fuel injection valves, the start control procedure cranks the engine with a standard cranking torque Tset. The start control procedure then starts advance of the open-close timing VVT of the intake valve, cancels the restriction of the throttle opening TH, and starts fuel injection from the in-cylinder fuel injection valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Fukui, Keiko Hasegawa, Mamoru Tomatsuri, Naoto Suzuki, Toshio Inoue, Katsuhiko Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20070227493
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heated catalyzed fuel injector that dispenses fuel substantially exclusively during the power stroke of an internal combustion engine, wherein ignition occurs in a fast burn zone at high fuel density such that a leading surface of the fuel is completely burned within several microseconds. In operation, the fuel injector precisely meters instantly igniting fuel at a predetermined crank angle for optimal power stroke production. Specifically, the fuel is metered into the fuel injector, such that the fuel injector heats, vaporizes, compresses and mildly oxidizes the fuel, and then dispenses the fuel as a relatively low pressure gas column into a combustion chamber of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventor: Michael C. Cheiky
  • Publication number: 20070227492
    Abstract: The present invention provides an injector-ignition fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, comprising an ECU controlling a heated catalyzed fuel injector for heating and catalyzing a next fuel charge, wherein the ECU uses a one firing cycle look-ahead algorithm for controlling fuel injection. The ECU may further incorporate a look-up table, auto-tuning functions and heuristics to compensate for the rapid rotational de-acceleration that occurs near top dead center in lightweight small ultra-high compression engines as may be used with this invention. The ECU may further ramp heat input to the injector in response to engine acceleration requests and, under such circumstances, may extend its look-ahead for up to four firing cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventor: Michael C. Cheiky
  • Patent number: 7275374
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a diesel engine using a combined fuel and air-side controller are disclosed. An illustrative method may include the steps of providing a combined fuel and air-side controller adapted to coordinate both the fuel and air-side control of an engine, sensing one or more parameters, and outputting a fuel profile signal and one or more air-side control signals for controlling at least a part of the fuel-side and at least a part of the air-side of the engine. By centrally coordinating both the fuel and air-side control of the engine, the system can be configured to anticipate future fuel and/or air-side needs of the engine, thus improving system response, performance, and/or emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory E. Stewart, Syed M. Shahed, Francesco Borrelli
  • Patent number: 7275514
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for robust controlled auto-ignition and spark ignited combustion controls in gasoline direct-injection engines, including transients, using either exhaust re-breathing or a combination of exhaust re-compression and re-breathing valve strategy. These methods are capable of enabling engine operation with either lean of stoichiometric or stoichiometric air/fuel ratio for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) control, with varying exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rates and throttle valve positions for knock control, and with a combination of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) and spark ignition (SI) combustion modes to optimize fuel economy over a wide range of engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Tang-Wei Kuo, Zongxuan Sun, James A. Eng, Barry L. Brown, Paul M. Najt, Jun-Mo Kang, Chen-Fang Chang, Man-Feng Chang
  • Patent number: 7275519
    Abstract: At the time of startup of an engine having an in-cylinder injector and an intake manifold injector, a risk of pre-ignition during the first-time compression stroke is determined based on a rotational angle of a crankshaft at the time of previous engine stop. When there is a high risk of pre-ignition, fuel injection from the in-cylinder injector having been set to make an air-fuel ratio within the combustion chamber become out of a range enabling combustion (to attain an over-rich condition) is carried out in addition to fuel injection from the intake manifold injector for normal engine startup. Pre-ignition is thus prevented, and smooth engine startup is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuma Miyazaki, Kenichi Kinose
  • Patent number: 7270095
    Abstract: An engine body includes a plurality of cylinders, and the intake valve lift-amount of each cylinder is changed based on the engine operating state. A pressure sensor continuously detects the intake pressure, which is the pressure in an intake pipe, to detect the intake pressure decrease amount, which is the amount of decrease in the intake pressure caused due to execution of the intake stroke, of each cylinder. The air quantity variation correction coefficient, which is used to compensate for the variation in the in-cylinder supplied-air quality with each cylinder, is calculated based on the detected intake pressure decrease amount, and the fuel injection amount is corrected using the air quantity variation correction coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Tsunooka, Masashi Hakariya
  • Patent number: 7272487
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring combustion stability of an HCCI internal combustion engine equipped with a crankshaft, an intake manifold and at least one cylinder, wherein stability is determined based on a deviation of an engine operating parameter such as, for example engine load or engine speed, from a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Urs Christen, Paul Moraal, Alain Chevalier, Katie Vantine
  • Patent number: 7261085
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method for controlling a combustion engine, e.g. of the type called HCCI engine. A control unit for controlling the self-ignition of the fuel mixture towards an optimum crankshaft angel (cadiopt) within a load range (Ltot). The load range (Ltot) can be divided into at least two subranges (LI, LII) and the control unit is adapted to controlling the self-ignition of the fuel mixture towards an optimum crankshaft angle (cadiopt) within a first subrange (LI) by means of a strategy (I) which entails a variable amount of hot exhaust gases being supplied to or retained in the combustion chamber, and within a second subrange (LII) by means of another strategy (II) which entails the effective compression ratio (c) in the cylinder being varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Scania CV AB (Publ)
    Inventors: Johan Linderyd, Fredrik Agrell
  • Patent number: 7261084
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method for controlling a combustion engine, e.g. of the type called HCCI engine. A control unit is operable for controlling the self-ignition of the fuel mixture towards an optimum crankshaft angle (cadiopt) within a load range (Ltot). The load range (Ltot) can be divided into at least two subranges (LII, LIII). The control unit is operable to controlling the self-ignition of the fuel mixture towards an optimum crankshaft angle (cadiopt) within one of the subranges (LII) by a strategy (II) which entails the effective compression ratio (c) in the cylinder being varied, and within the second subrange (LIII) by another strategy (III) which entails a variable amount of cooled exhaust gases (ceg) being led to the combustion chamber also enabling in the second subrange (LIII) to control the self-ignition of the fuel mixture towards an optimum crankshaft angle (cadiopt) by variation of the effective compression ratio (c) in the cylinder without it falling below a lowest acceptable value (Cmin).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Scania CV AB (Publ)
    Inventors: Johan Linderyd, Fredrik Agrell
  • Patent number: 7260470
    Abstract: A method for calibrating at least two sensors for sensing a variable characterizing the combustion process in an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, operated in individual-cylinder fashion and having at least two cylinders, is provided. According to the present invention, at least one operating point of the internal combustion engine, at which an equalization of the at least two cylinders by at least one fuel quantity equalization method is performable with high accuracy, is determined. At the at least one operating point of the internal combustion engine, an equalization of the at least two cylinders is performed by the at least one fuel quantity equalization method. After the equalization of the at least two cylinders has been accomplished, at least one sensor parameter of the at least two sensors is mutually adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Damitz, Dirk Samuelsen, Ruediger Fehrmann, Matthias Schueler
  • Patent number: 7260469
    Abstract: In a method for operating an internal combustion engine, a first data quantity is derived based on a signal of a first sensor which detects the pressure in a first combustion chamber of a plurality of combustion chambers, and a second data quantity is derived based on a signal of a second sensor, which second data quantity is a function of the pressure variation in at least one of the plurality of combustion chambers. The first data quantity and the second data quantity are functions of the pressure variation in the same combustion chamber, and a drift of the second sensor is ascertained from a change over time in the second data quantity with respect to the first data quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Birk, Jens Damitz, Juergen Moessinger, Michael Kessler, Vincent Dautel, Nicole Kositza
  • Patent number: 7258107
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling a two-stroke engine in correspondence with exhaust gas temperature. An engine control unit (ECU) receives an output from a temperature sensor mounted in the exhaust pipe. The engine control unit controls the operation of a fuel injector in fluid communication with the intake port of the engine in correspondence with the output from the temperature sensor. In one embodiment, correspondence is achieved by determining fuel injection parameters based on a plurality of maps, each corresponding to a different temperature range. The ECU references the map corresponding to the sensed temperature of the exhaust gas. Fuel injection parameters may include injection timing and the amount of fuel injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Johnson, Kim Chervestad, Greg Spaulding
  • Patent number: 7255090
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders configured to operate in a compression ignition mode. A pressure sensor is provided to sense pressure within a combustion cylinder of the engine. A combustion control system, including an electronic engine controller, is configured to receive electrical signals from the pressure sensor and, based on such signals, determine a maximum rate of pressure increase occurring in the combustion cylinder during a first time interval. Based on the determined maximum rate of pressure increase, the combustion control system is configured to control one or more charge inputs to the combustion cylinder during a second time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hugh Fader, Christopher Warren
  • Patent number: 7257479
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine are provided, in which method and device a deviation value is determined based on the comparison of a variable characterizing the combustion process in at least one cylinder with a corresponding setpoint value for this variable. Based on the determined deviation value, a first manipulated variable of a first actuator for influencing the start of activation is adjusted. Furthermore, based on the first manipulated variable, a second manipulated variable of a second actuator for influencing the air mass is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Damitz, Matthias Schueler, Stefan Polach, Michael Kessler, Andreas Schaffrath, Nicole Kositza, Axel Loeffler, Marko Schuckert
  • Publication number: 20070181096
    Abstract: This invention is a method of achieving stable, optimal mixtures of HCCI and SI in practical gasoline internal combustion engines comprising the steps of: characterizing the combustion process based on combustion process measurements, determining the ratio of conventional and HCCI combustion, determining the trajectory (sequence) of states for consecutive combustion processes, and determining subsequent combustion process modifications using said information to steer the engine combustion toward desired behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. Wagner, Charles S. Daw, Johney B. Green, Kevin D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7254473
    Abstract: An engine control apparatus for a multi-cylinder compression ignition internal combustion engine includes a combustion status sensor and a controller. The combustion status sensor is installed in a selected one of cylinders of the engine. The controller works to sample an output from the combustion status sensor to determine a combustion status parameter and determine injection timings so as to bring the combustion status parameter into agreement with a target value. The controller also corrects the injection timing for at least one of the cylinders in which the combustion status sensor is not installed so that a combustion status parameter of the at least one of the cylinders lies on an advanced side of that of the one of the cylinders in which the combustion status sensor is installed, thereby avoiding the deterioration of quality of combustion of the fuel arising from a shift of the time of the ignition in the retarded direction from a desired time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Akikazu Kojima, Hiroshi Haraguchi, Sumiko Norimoto
  • Publication number: 20070175446
    Abstract: A fuel injection device calculates a variation correction value by incorporating in-cylinder pressure into injector individual data based on an injection rate of an injector measured outside a cylinder of an engine. The fuel injection device corrects a target injection amount and generation timing of a command signal of the injector based on the variation correction value. Thus, accurate injection characteristics substantially conforming to designed median values can be obtained inside the cylinder, and highly accurate injection control can be performed. Thus, the fuel injection device can perform accurate multi-injection, which requires extremely high accuracy, to simultaneously achieve reduction of engine vibration and engine noise, purification of exhaust gas and improvement of engine output and fuel consumption at high levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 7246600
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of: calculating a base timing of injection (INJB); determining whether an engine knocks; if the engine knocks, increasing a correction value INJK(I) applied to correct a timing of injection; and calculating the base timing of injection INJB plus the correction value INJK(I) to obtain a timing of injection INJ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsushi Nakashima, Motoki Ohtani
  • Patent number: 7247124
    Abstract: An automated method for controlling a vehicle having an engine and a transmission includes sensing knock activity in the engine. A transmission ratio applicable to the transmission is selected based on the sensed knock activity. This method allows a vehicle to be operated in a fuel-efficient manner while knock-sensitive operating conditions are avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Goro Tamai
  • Patent number: 7246605
    Abstract: An algorithm for use in an engine control module to control peak cylinder pressure in a diesel engine under high altitude operating conditions, including an initiation and entering routine configured to determine whether conditions are met for advancing a start of injection time used by the engine control module to cause an injection of fuel into a cylinder of the engine, an increment routine that is executed by the engine control module when the initiation and entering routine determines that the conditions are met to advance the start of injection time using a first increment when the first increment is less than or equal to an increment step and less than or equal to a second increment, and advance the start of injection time using the second increment when the first increment is greater than one of the increment step and the second increment, and an exiting routine that is executed by the engine control module when the initiation and entering routine determines that the conditions are not met to decrement
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Nazarov, Rex E. Ralston, David J. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 7240480
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is disclosed in which at least one cylinder is adapted to run in homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion mode and at least one cylinder is adapted to run in spark-ignition (SI) combustion mode with the HCCI cylinder having a compression ratio at least 2 ratios higher than the SI cylinder. The intakes and exhausts of the HCCI and SI cylinders are separated with a throttle valve disposed in each intake and exhaust aftertreatment devices tailored to each combustion mode disposed in the exhausts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Brevick, Clifford Carlson
  • Patent number: 7240658
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine is provided, which includes the step of operating the engine with a mixed mode fuel injector in at least one of a homogeneous charge mode and a conventional mode. The method also includes the step of selectively operating the engine in the conventional mode upon the occurrence of a predetermined homogeneous charge mode failure. An internal combustion engine is provided, having an electronic controller with software logic for selectively operating the engine in the conventional mode, upon the occurrence of a predetermined homogeneous charge mode failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Mary L. Kesse
  • Patent number: 7237532
    Abstract: A multicylinder homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine with a control system designed to maintain stable HCCI combustion during engine speed/load transitions by: (1) determining “combustion parameter” values such as the maximum rate of pressure rise for each cycle of each cylinder, (2) adjusting engine operating parameters (such as charge-air intake temperature, intake pressure (boost), or charge-air oxygen concentration) to effect a change in the combustion parameter value, (3) thereafter adjusting an engine “control parameter” (e.g., commanded fuel quantity) to each cylinder to maintain a desired target for the combustion parameter value (such as 10 bar/crank angle degree, or a smaller value, such as 6 bar/crank angle degree), and (4) individually adjusting cooling, heating and/or fuel command to deviating cylinders to achieve uniform combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Inventor: Charles L. Gray, Jr.