Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing a signal outputted by a sensor installed in a power train control system mounted in a vehicle, the signal indicating an operating state of the power train and formatted in a fixed-point type of data. The apparatus comprises an A/D (analog to digital) converter, a DMA (direct memory access) controller and a transfer unit. The A/D converter converts the signal outputted by the sensor into a signal expressed as fixed-point type of digital data. The DMA controller is equipped with a format converter converting the fixed-point type of digital data to a floating-point type of digital data. The transfer unit transfers the floating-point type of digital data to a memory. The floating-point type of digital data are read out from the memory and subjected to floating-point type of digital processing for controlling the power train.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is configured with combustion chamber pressure sensing and exhaust gas recirculation apparatus. Exhaust gas recirculation control includes closed-loop controlling exhaust gas recirculation apparatus in accordance with a predetermined control target. Adjustments to the control target are made based on combustion chamber pressure information.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is configured with combustion chamber pressure sensing and exhaust gas recirculation apparatus. Fuel injection timing is adjusted based on combustion phasing and exhaust gas recirculation is controlled based on average fuel injection timing adjustments.

Abstract: A device and a method for controlling an internal combustion engine are provided, in which a first actuating variable of at least one first actuating element is adapted on the basis of a comparison between a first cylinder-specific variable characterizing the combustion process in at least one cylinder and a setpoint value for this variable. On the basis of at least one second variable, at least one deviation value for at least one additional cylinder is determined. Based on this deviation value, a second actuating variable of a second actuating element is adapted.

Abstract: A two-stroke engine has an intake channel via which the engine (1) is supplied with an air/fuel mixture prepared in a carburetor (12). The engine also has a starting device (19, 40) for enrichment of the air/fuel mixture during the start operation. The starting device (19, 40) is disposed in the region of the carburetor (12). To avoid an overenrichment of the mixture after start-up of the engine, a bypass channel (20) is provided which branches off upstream of the starting device (19, 40) viewed in the flow direction (30) of the air/fuel mixture and opens downstream of the starting device (19, 40). A switching valve (23) is mounted in the bypass channel (20) and is essentially closed when the engine (1) is started. When the engine (1) runs up, the switching valve (23) automatically switches into a position where less throttling occurs.

Abstract: A system for an internal combustion engine, the engine having an intake and exhaust manifold, the system comprising a heat exchanger configured to extract energy from at least a heat source that heats a first portion of intake air, a spark plug coupled to the engine, an intake passage configured to deliver said first portion of heated intake air to the engine and to deliver a second portion of intake air which bypasses said heat source, and a controller configured to direct said second portion of intake air to the engine at least when utilizing said spark plug to initiate combustion and flame propagation of an air-fuel mixture, and to at least temporarily cause said first portion of intake air to flow during said spark ignition combustion so that a temperature of said first portion of intake air is maintained above a selected value.

Abstract: An engine includes cylinders, a sensor for detecting information related to combustion states of the cylinders. Each cylinder is provided with an ignition device, an intake valve, and an exhaust valve. The engine also includes a control apparatus that obtains the information from the sensor. Based on the information from the sensor, the control apparatus identifies a cylinder of the most violent combustion. The control apparatus controls at least one of the valve timing of the intake valves, the valve timing of the exhaust valves, and a fuel injection amount to the cylinders, thereby suppressing the combustion of all the cylinders, such that the combustion state of the identified cylinder becomes an appropriate combustion state. As for a cylinder the combustion state of which is out of a predetermined range and is a state causing misfire, the control apparatus selectively activates the corresponding ignition device to perform assisted ignition.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1) generates power by burning an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber (3). The internal combustion engine (1) is provided with an in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) and an ECU (20). The ECU 20 calculates at two predetermined points control parameters each of which is a product of an in-cylinder pressure detected by the in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) and a value obtained by exponentiating an in-cylinder volume at the time of detecting the in-cylinder pressure by a predetermined index number, as well as determines a misfire condition in the combustion chamber (3) based on the difference component in the control parameters between the two predetermined points.

Abstract: An engine control system for controlling an engine into which fuel is supplied from a fuel supply system and which is ignited by an ignition system, the engine control system comprising: a detonation detecting device for detecting detonation of said engine; a judgment level setting device for setting a judgment level for judging whether detonation, which requires to be controlled, occurs; an enrich controlling device for controlling the fuel supply system so as to vary, to a rich-side, air-fuel ratio of air-fuel mixture being supplied to the engine for controlling the detonation when a level of an output signal of the detonation detecting device is equal to or more that the judgment level; and an ignition controlling device for controlling the ignition system so as to intermittently stop an ignition operation of the engine when the detonation can not be controlled by the enrich controlling device.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1) generates power by burning a mixture of fuel and air in each combustion chamber 3. The internal combustion engine 1 is provided with an in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) disposed in each combustion chamber (3) and an ECU (20). The ECU (20) calculates control parameters at two predetermined points, each of which is a product of an in-cylinder pressure detected by the in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) and a value obtained by exponentiating an in-cylinder volume at the timing of detecting the in-cylinder pressure with predetermined index, as well as calculates a correction value of a fuel injection quantity based upon a difference in the control parameter between the two predetermined points. One of the two predetermined points is set after an intake valve (Vi) opens and before an ignition plug (7) ignites, and the other is set after the ignition plug (7) ignites and before an exhaust valve (Ve) opens.

Abstract: An engine torque management system of a V-style engine utilizes a cylinder head metal temperature sensor in each cylinder head to detect a temperature. When the sensor temperature rises above a threshold value for a particular time period, the response software shuts down the fuel injection of a bank of cylinders in which the sensor is installed. Cool, uncombusted intake air cools that bank and an external fan blows air over that bank. If the sensor in the second bank of cylinders rises above the threshold, the fuel injection on that bank shuts off to undergo cooling while the fuel injection on the first bank restarts. Alternation between the two banks occurs to maintain the desired level of torque demanded by the vehicle driver.

Abstract: A fuel control system for regulating fuel to cylinders of an internal combustion engine during an engine start and crank-to-run transition includes a first module that determines a raw injected fuel mass based on a utilized fuel fraction (UFF) model and a nominal fuel dynamics (NFD) and a second module that regulates fueling to a cylinder of the engine based on the raw injected fuel mass until a combustion event of the cylinder. Each of the UFF and NFD models is calibrated based on data from a plurality of test starts-that are based on a pre-defined test schedule.

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel injection control apparatus of an engine in which a temperature sensor for detecting an engine temperature is inexpensive and a wiring to a control unit is made unnecessary, thereby restricting a system cost low. A control unit (5) is integrally formed with a throttle chamber (3) corresponding to a peripheral device of an engine (1), a temperature sensor (6) detecting an engine temperature is directly attached to a substrate (5b) of the control unit (5), and the temperature sensor (6) estimates an actual engine temperature on the basis of an engine peripheral temperature detected by the temperature sensor (6) by using a correlation data obtained by previously searching a correlation between the engine peripheral temperature detected by the temperature sensor (6) and the actual engine temperature under the same condition, thereby calculating a fuel increase amount and time for the increase amount necessary from a low temperature start to a warm-up finish.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1) generates power by burning a mixture of fuel and air in each combustion chamber (3). The internal combustion engine (1) is provided with an in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) disposed in the combustion chamber (3) and an ECU (20). The ECU (20) calculates control parameters each of which is a product of an in-cylinder pressure detected by the in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) and a value obtained by exponetiating an in-cylinder volume at timing of detecting the in-cylinder pressure with a predetermined index at two predetermined points during a period from opening timing of an intake valve (Vi) to closing timing thereof, and calculates a quantity of air aspirated into each combustion chamber (3) based upon a difference in the control parameter between the two predetermined points.

Abstract: A control system and method for balancing output and exhaust emission values of the various cylinders of an engine having individual cylinder fuel delivery control. Selected output and emission related values for one cylinder, selected as a base cylinder, are compared to the same values for the other cylinders, and fuel injection quantity and timing (or another combustion phasing variable) are adjusted in the other cylinders to output and emission values of the base cylinder. The adjustments are weighted based on the degree to which changes in both the injection quantity and timing (or other variable) influence changes in both the output and emission values as determined from the sensed readings of pressure sensors in each of the cylinders.

Abstract: A method is described for controlling fuel injection in an spontaneous ignition engine equipped with an electronically controlled fuel injection system and with an electronic control unit receiving engine quantities comprising the pressure in the combustion changer of the engine and closed-loop controlling the fuel injection system on the basis of the pressure in the combustion chamber, in which the pressure in the combustion chamber is determined as a function of engine kinematic quantities such as the engine speed and the crank angle and of the fuel injection law, which is defined by the quantity of fuel injected and by the crank angle at the start of injection.

Abstract: There are provided a diesel engine that injects fuel into air compressed in cylinders and combusts the fuel by spontaneous ignition, and a control unit that sets the fuel injection timing to an earlier time point than the compression top dead center to premix air and fuel and combusts the air-fuel mixture compressed in the cylinders by spontaneous ignition. The control unit injects the fuel to be injected in an early stage in a plurality of stages according to the operation state of the engine and individually adjusts the injection pressures of their respective stages according to the gas density and the gas temperature in the corresponding cylinder.

Abstract: A control apparatus of an internal combustion engine includes a fuel pressure sensor to detect the pressure of the fuel supplied from a fuel pump to an injector; an in-cylinder pressure sensor, which serves as a combustion chamber temperature detecting unit that detects the temperature in the combustion chamber or the parameter depending on the temperature, to detect in-cylinder pressure (combustion chamber pressure); and an ECU that controls to execute the first fuel injection of each cylinder by the injector when the fuel pressure detected by the fuel pressure sensor is not less than a predetermined threshold fuel pressure and when the in-cylinder pressure detected by the in-cylinder pressure sensor is not less than a threshold in-cylinder pressure.

Abstract: When a combustion mode of an engine is a diffuse combustion mode in which an initial rising inclination of a heat-release-rate is steep, an electronic control unit (ECU) calculates an ignition timing in which the heat-release-rate exceeds an ignition determining value. Thus, even if a cylinder pressure sensor has a gain deviation or an offset deviation, the ignition timing is accurately detected to control the injection start timing. When the combustion mode is a premix combustion mode in which the initial rising inclination of the heat-release-rate is moderate, a peak arising timing of the heat-release-rate is calculated. Thus, the peak arising timing is accurately detected to control the injection start timing.

Abstract: A fuel injection control device is configured to suppress the effect of pressure pulsation occurring inside the accumulator section of an engine due to a first fuel injection and thereby accurately control the fuel injection quantity in an engine configured to execute a plurality of fuel injections per cycle. When the fuel injection quantity for a second injection executed after a first injection is set, the fuel injection interval is detected and the fuel injection quantity is revised based on the fuel injection interval. The amount of time from the end of the first injection (e.g., a pilot injection) to the start of the second injection (e.g., a main injection) is used as the fuel injection interval.

Abstract: A method is for controlling the metering of fuel in a fuel system (30) of an internal combustion engine (1) which is to be started manually. This control is with a currentless open electromagnetic valve (21). The electromagnetic valve (21) is only switched into the closed state when a supply voltage (Uv) is applied and current flows. Within a blocking time (47), which is pregiven by an engine control (13), a supply voltage (Uv) is switched onto the excitation coil of the electromagnetic valve (21) only and the valve (21) is supplied with current only when an underpressure is present in the intake channel (11) of the fuel system (30); whereas, in the remaining time span (50) of the blocking time (47), wherein no underpressure is present, the control unit (20) switches off the supply voltage (Uv) and the valve (21) is in the currentless open state.

Abstract: This feature of the present invention comprises a method and apparatus which uses an ionization signal to optimize the air to fuel ratio AFR of the combustion mixture when the engine is operated at wide open throttle (WOT). This feature of the present invention optimizes the air to fuel ratio AFR on-line using the relationship between an air to fuel ratio AFR index CAFR and the air to fuel ratio AFR. In a preferred embodiment, the real-time control strategy adjusts the engine air to fuel ratio AFR based upon an air to fuel ratio AFR gradient parameter.

Abstract: A method for processing an accelerometer data set generated from an operating internal combustion engine is disclosed. The processed accelerometer data is cepstrally filtered and a heat release trace is pulled from the accelerometer data set. That heat release trace is then used to estimate combustion quality and combustion phasing within the engine and control future combustion events using this information. Misfire and knock sensing is also incorporated into the engine controls. The method provides controls for an engine to allow it to adjust combustion from cycle window to cycle window generally without the need for expensive and less durable direct pressure measurement devices as compared to accelerometers. The resulting fuel injection speed results in the fuel passing through shock waves within the combustion chamber, which, in turn, promotes combustion of the fuel by promoting mixing of the fuel and intake charge within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: In a multi-cylinder engine having a compression ignition combustion mode, a vibration detecting sensor that is preferably mounted in a cylinder block or a cylinder head is used to detect a frequency and the detected frequency is appropriately analyzed to detect or estimate a cylinder pressure peak value and peak timing for each cylinder. An amount of internal EGR, a fuel injection condition, an engine speed and the like are then controlled so as to bring each of these parameters into an appropriate range thereof. The control apparatus suppresses variations in combustion states among different cylinders and different cycles arising from unit-to-unit variations or deterioration in the engine or part-to-part variations or deterioration in a component thereof.

Abstract: A method is provided in which a marine propulsion system with a charge air compressor is controlled through the use of a clutch or a multiple speed transmission that allows the charge air compressor to be engaged or disengaged. The engagement or disengagement of the charge air compressor can be a dual function of the demand for a change in torque and the engine speed.

Abstract: For an effectively working regulation of the combustion process in the HCCI mode, a modeled combustion process, to be described by internal variables of state, is formed by using process-influencing variables. Output variables of the actual and modeled combustion process are then used to regulate the process-influencing variables.

Abstract: A device and a method for controlling an internal combustion engine, where a first variable characterizing the pressure in the combustion chamber of at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine is measured by at least one sensor. A second variable characterizing the energy released during the combustion is ascertained from the first variable. When a threshold value of the second variable is exceeded, a third variable characterizing the combustion process is detected.

Abstract: In a multi-cylinder engine having a compression ignition combustion mode, a vibration detecting sensor that is preferably mounted in a cylinder block or a cylinder head is used to detect a frequency and the detected frequency is appropriately analyzed to detect or estimate a cylinder pressure peak value and peak timing for each cylinder. An amount of internal EGR, a fuel injection condition, an engine speed and the like are then controlled so as to bring each of these parameters into an appropriate range thereof. The control apparatus suppresses variations in combustion states among different cylinders and different cycles arising from unit-to-unit variations or deterioration in the engine or part-to-part variations or deterioration in a component thereof.

Abstract: A first method is for determining a variable, which characterizes a fuel injection, in an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle in a hot-start situation wherein fuel is injected directly into at least one combustion chamber from a high-pressure region of a fuel supply system; the variable, which characterizes the injection quantity, is corrected at least in dependence upon a variable which represents a temperature of the fuel. A second method is for determining a hot-start situation in an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle wherein a hot-start situation is determined at least based on a variable, which represents a temperature of the fuel, and based on a fuel pressure. The invention relates likewise to corresponding arrangements, a corresponding control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, a corresponding computer program having program-code means and a corresponding computer program product having program-code means.

Abstract: A cylinder intake air quantity determination device is configured to calculate a manifold internal air quantity based on an inflow air quantity and an outflow air quantity of an intake manifold. Then, a manifold internal pressure is calculated based on the manifold internal air quantity and an intake air temperature, and a cylinder internal pressure corresponding to a crank angle is calculated based on the previous cylinder intake air quantity. The cylinder intake air quantity is then calculated based on the manifold internal pressure, the cylinder internal pressure, and the intake air temperature. Thus, the cylinder intake air quantity determination device is configured to calculate the cylinder intake air quantity with a good precision.

Abstract: The Inventor invented a combustion control device which optimizes combustion regardless of the cetane number of a fuel of an internal combustion engine (1) by focusing on the correlation between the cetane number and specific gravity of the fuel, and correcting combustion control based on the specific gravity of the fuel. The combustion control device comprises a sensor (7, 32, 36, 37) which detects the specific gravity of the fuel, a device which adjusts a combustion-related element of the internal combustion engine (1) such as fuel injection, compression end in-cylinder temperature and an intake air swirl (15, 19, 27, 51), and a controller (21) programmed to correct a target value of the element based on the specific gravity of the fuel (S414, S424, S430), and control the adjusting device so that the corrected target value is realized (S415, S425, S430).

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, and (4) individually adjusting cooling, heating and/or fuel command to deviating cylinders to achieve uniform combustion. Additional strategies such as averaging of combustion parameter values and use of deadband regions in the control of HCCI combustion are also set forth.

Abstract: The individual cylinder air to fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine varies due to the fact that the intake manifold cannot distribute airflow into the individual cylinders evenly. This feature of the present invention utilizes minimum timing for best torque MBT timing criterion provided by the ionization signals or by the in-cylinder pressure signals to balance the air to fuel ratios of the individual cylinders. The control method of the present invention comprises: calculating a mean timing coefficient, calculating a timing coefficient error, integrating the minimum timing for best torque timing coefficient error, calculating a raw fuel trim coefficient, resealing the raw fuel trim coefficient, updating a feedforward look-up table based upon the current engine operating conditions, and calculating a final fueling command.

Abstract: An optical sensor provides information about the burn of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine as well as the timing and waveform of the spark that ignites the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. The optical sensor can be implemented as a stand-alone device, or incorporated into a spark plug.

Abstract: An injection quantity control apparatus for accurately performing an injection quantity learning process in a diesel engine creates an environment for obtaining a characteristic value in a one-to-one relationship with an actual injection quantity. A controller performs a one-shot injection operation for a cylinder of an engine while the environment is established. An injection command quantity is corrected based on an engine speed variation caused by the one-shot injection. After establishment of the condition and before the injection, the opening of a valve is controlled to be smaller than a reference and an opening of each of a diesel throttle and variable turbocharger is controlled to be larger than a reference. A composition of an air flowing into a combustion chamber is stabilized to ensure that the characteristic value detected after the one-shot injection is in a one-to-one relationship with the actual injection quantity.

Abstract: A fuel injection system includes an injector, a controller, and a cylinder internal pressure sensor. The injector injects fuel to an engine. The controller controls injection start timing of the injector, an injection amount, and a supply pressure of the injected fuel. The cylinder internal pressure sensor detects one of a cylinder internal pressure and a heat release rate of the internal combustion engine. The controller has a standard estimator and a corrector. The standard state estimator obtains a standard state of one of the cylinder internal pressure and the heat release rate upon fuel injection from the injector. The corrector corrects at least one of the injection start timing, the injection amount, and the supply pressure in a direction to eliminate a difference that exists between the standard state obtained by the standard state estimator and one of the cylinder internal pressure and the heat release rate detected by the cylinder internal pressure sensor.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine (10), exhaust gas leaves a combustion chamber (14) via at least one outlet valve (36) which is opened by an actuator after termination of a working stroke. A pressure value is determined, which characterizes the pressure of the gas in the combustion chamber during the working stroke. An actual value of the valve lift of the outlet valve (36) is determined, together with actual operating parameters of the internal combustion engine (10) which affect this opening stroke, and based on the determined actual valve lift of the outlet valve (36) and actual operating parameters of the internal combustion engine (10), an actual gas pressure in the combustion chamber (14) at the time of the opening of the outlet valve is calculated at least approximately.

Abstract: The present method and apparatus employ a signal indicative of cylinder pressure within the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine to control combustion phasing or start of combustion (SOC) in subsequent cycles of the engine where the engine is driven by combustion of both a fuel/air premixed charge and a directly injected quantity of fuel. A ratio of signals indicative of pre-combustion pressure and post-combustion pressure within a cycle are employed to estimate SOC and then, based on a predetermined target SOC, an ignition lever is employed to adjust subsequent SOC. A preferred ignition lever is, in a pilot fuel ignited engine, pilot fuel quantity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to detect combustion conditions using ion signals for use in a feedback control of a diesel engine is presented. The apparatus is a spark plug type of sensor or a sensor integrated with a fuel injector. The spark plug type of sensor is used to provide a cold start mechanism combined with an ion sensing device.

Abstract: A homogeneous charge compression ignition engine that prevents knocking and misfires when changing output and when the load or air-fuel ratio changes due to one reason or another when operating under a predetermined condition. A controller determines whether or not the air-fuel ratio is changing in such a manner that there is a possibility of knocking or misfires occurring by using a map defining a range, in which stable homogeneous charge compression ignition operation is enabled, in relation with the air-fuel ratio and the intake air temperature. When the air-fuel ratio indicates that there is a possibility of knocking or misfires occurring, the controller controls an intake air temperature adjustor to adjust the intake air temperature based on the map.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (10) is operated in dependence upon operating characteristic variables such as rpm (nmot) of a crankshaft (18), temperature (Tmot) of the internal combustion engine (10) and/or temperature of the intake air (Taev). In the method, a temperature (Taevk) of the inducted air in the combustion chamber (16) is, at least in approximation, obtained from a detected or modeled temperature (Taev) of the inducted air in a region remote from the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method of balancing combustion among cylinders of an internal combustion engine. For each cylinder, a normalized peak firing pressure is calculated as the ratio of its peak firing pressure to its combustion pressure. Each cylinder's normalized peak firing pressure is compared to a target value for normalized peak firing pressure. The fuel flow is adjusted to any cylinder whose normalized peak firing pressure is not substantially equal to the target value.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for testing functionality of an engine cylinder deactivation control and system having a plurality of solenoid-operated valves for controlling hydraulic actuation of switching valve lifters. The apparatus includes a portable test box enclosing an electrical circuit connectable to the deactivation control. Also included are a ground lead for connection to the control ground, a solenoid lead for each cylinder and connectable to the solenoids of their respective cylinders, and external taps on the exterior of the box and connected one with each of the ground lead and the solenoid leads. Exemplary methods are disclosed for using the box to test for grounds and circuit resistance as well as proper operation of the system in a running engine.

Abstract: In a multi-cylinder engine having a compression ignition combustion mode, a vibration detecting sensor that is preferably mounted in a cylinder block or a cylinder head is used to detect a frequency and the detected frequency is appropriately analyzed to detect or estimate a cylinder pressure peak value and peak timing for each cylinder. An amount of internal EGR, a fuel injection condition, an engine speed and the like are then controlled so as to bring each of these parameters into an appropriate range thereof. The control apparatus suppresses variations in combustion states among different cylinders and different cycles arising from unit-to-unit variations or deterioration in the engine or part-to-part variations or deterioration in a component thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a diesel engine comprising a device for controlling the flow of injected fuel with at least one fuel injector supplying a combustion chamber, controlled by a processor provided with means for controlling a series of operations of the injector of differing durations, means for measuring a minimal activation time (?TMA+?T) between the issuing of a command and the beginning of an injection and means for subsequently controlling the injector as a function of the measured minimal activation time. According to the invention, the engine is characterized in comprising means for determining the heat output (dQ) brought about by the mixture of air and fuel injected into the chamber and to measure the minimum activation time using said determinations.

Abstract: A compression ignition internal combustion engine in which the temperature and pressure in the combustion chamber are increased to self-ignite an air-fuel mixture with the compressive operation of a piston after closing of the intake valve. An ECU [1] controls injection timing of the pressurized air depending on the ignition timing. Self-ignition timing can be controlled to a proper timing in a wide engine operating range with respect to a load and a revolution speed without substantially changing the shape of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine. A first variable is predefined on the basis of a signal of a combustion chamber pressure sensor or a structure-borne noise sensor. This first variable characterizes the combustion process in the combustion chamber of at least one cylinder of the engine. A second variable is read from a characteristics map; a manipulated variable for influencing the combustion process is predefinable from this second variable. The characteristics map and/or the second variable read from the characteristics map are adapted as a function of at least one feature which is determined on the basis of the first variable.

Abstract: A method of controlling combustion in an homogenous charge compression ignition engine through indirect mechanisms. The method utilizes a predictive model so that combustion can be controlled over a wide range of operating conditions while maintaining optimum operation with respect to efficiency and emissions. The methods include an adaptive aspect, which allows the predictive model to be updated if deemed necessary. Furthermore, the methods include a model with a plurality of control modes. A control mode can be chosen to optimize the engine for one of a plurality of output characteristics, including response time, efficiency, or emissions characteristics.

Abstract: A device for controlling an internal combustion engine, comprising a variable valve mechanism for varying opening areas (valve lift) or the working angles (valve-opening periods) of at least either the intake valves or the exhaust valves, wherein a pressure in the cylinder is calculated based on the opening area or the working angle of at least either the intake valve or the exhaust valve varied by the variable valve mechanism, and the internal combustion engine is controlled based on the pressure in the cylinder. Upon calculating the pressure in the cylinder based on the opening areas or the working angles of the intake and exhaust valves, it is possible to more suitably control the internal combustion engine based not only upon the peak combustion pressure in the cylinder like when a combustion pressure sensor is used but also upon a pressure in the cylinder at a moment other than the peak combustion pressure.

Abstract: A diesel engine fuel injection strategy comprises injecting fuel into a cylinder (28) during a compression upstroke of a piston (30) that reciprocates within the cylinder and creating pressure sufficient to initiate combustion of the injected fuel. As the fuel is combusting, more fuel is injected at a controlled rate of injection to cause further combustion of fuel in a manner that upon substantially peak in-cylinder pressure being attained is effective to prolong that peak in-cylinder pressure such that a trace (62B) of pressure vs. crank angle would contain a distinct plateau (62P) representing the prolonged peak pressure.