Backup Systems, Fail-safe, Failure Indicator Patents (Class 123/479)
  • Patent number: 9689300
    Abstract: An engine control system is provided and includes an engine having combustion chambers and provides driving torque through combustion of a fuel injected into the combustion chambers. A turbocharger includes a turbine rotated according to flow energy of exhaust gas, a compressor compressing external air, and a vane adjusting amount of exhaust gas supplied to the turbine. An EGR device recirculates exhaust gas to the combustion chamber. An exhaust manifold includes a body with an internal fluid path, exhaust inlets in which exhaust gas is introduced, a partition to form internal fluid paths, and an exhaust outlet to which exhaust gas is exhausted. Temperature sensors measure temperature of exhaust gas flowing through the internal fluid paths. A controller adjusts an opening amount of the vane of the turbocharger, exhaust gas recirculated using the EGR device, and fuel to be injected to the combustion chambers based on measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jong Gu Kim
  • Patent number: 9623817
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling an electrical system of a vehicle. Sensors are used to obtain first data for a first path of calculations and second data for a second path of calculations. The first path comprises a first plurality of calculations of generating a value of a parameter pertaining to the electrical system, and the second path comprises a second plurality of calculations of monitoring the electrical system with respect to the first path. A processor is coupled to the plurality of sensors, and is configured to determine whether a data frozen flag is active, perform the first plurality of calculations of the first path using the first data if the first data flag is inactive, and perform the second plurality of calculations of the second path if the first data flag is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Brian A. Welchko, Silva Hiti, Abbas Raftari, Jeong J. Park, Hanne Buur, Wei D. Wang, Brian R. Medema, William R. Cawthorne, Jackie L. Cui
  • Patent number: 9600357
    Abstract: Disclosed is an error detection method of fail safe software, the method including outputting a pulse signal according to an operation state of fail safe software monitoring a fail safe function of a motor control device; determining presence or absence of an error of the fail safe software using a frequency of the pulse signal; and controlling an output of the motor control device based on the presence or absence of the error of the fail safe software. Accordingly, even though whether the motor control device is in an abnormal state is not determined due to an error of the fail safe software, it is possible to prevent excessive motor torque from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tae Wan Lim
  • Patent number: 9556840
    Abstract: The invention describes a method and an arrangement for the regulation of the rail pressure in an internal combustion engine. In the method, the rail pressure is regulated, with a target high pressure being predefined. Said target high pressure is filtered, before being input, by way of a target high pressure filter which is configured as a dynamic target high pressure filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 9546616
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine has a fuel pump capable of pumping fuel from a fuel tank to the internal combustion engine, a motor driving the fuel pump, a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure of the fuel pumped from the fuel pump, and a control unit configured to output control signals to the motor. The control unit is configured to perform feedback control of duty ratio of the control signals for the motor, and to control the duty lower limit guard value in order to limit an amount of decreases of the duty lower limit guard value in the step-like manner when a duty lower limit guard value decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Akita, Naoyuki Tagawa
  • Patent number: 9523318
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus includes an air-fuel ratio detector, an oscillation signal generator, an air-fuel ratio oscillation device, a sum/difference frequency component intensity calculator, a decision parameter calculator, and an imbalance failure determination device. The sum/difference frequency component intensity calculator is configured to calculate, while the air-fuel ratio oscillation device is in operation, at least one of a component intensity of a difference frequency and a component intensity of a sum frequency. The decision parameter calculator is configured to calculate, according to at least one of the component intensity of the difference frequency and the component intensity of the sum frequency, a decision parameter to determine a degree of imbalance of an air-fuel ratio. The imbalance failure determination device is configured to determine an imbalance failure in which the degree of imbalance of the air-fuel ratio exceeds an allowable limit using the decision parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Miyauchi, Tooru Sekiguchi, Michinori Tani, Seiji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9509445
    Abstract: A data transmission system comprising an Automotive Sensor Network System (ASNS) connected to a plurality of source locations via a common bus, wherein the ASNS is configured to ascertain the source from which the data-frames and first package checksum are received and based on the ascertainment of the source, appropriate decoding methods are used to calculate the ASNS location data-frame checksums and the ASNS location package checksums. A higher order redundancy check is done over a series of data-frames to detect errors in the reception caused by temporary high interference that may exist in the transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Wolfgang Scherr
  • Patent number: 9476330
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve driver, in normal operation, supplies peak current from a capacitor to a coil of an injector by turning ON a transistor on a downstream side of the coil and a discharge transistor that discharges electricity from the capacitor to the coil. Thereafter, the driver supplies constant current to the coil by an ON-OFF control of a transistor disposed between a battery and an upstream side of the coil until an end of the electricity supply period. When an open failure of the discharge transistor is detected, the driver controls the current to prevent a voltage rise of the capacitor to reduce flyback energy collected from a downstream side of the coil by the capacitor based on a transistor OFF timing delay scheme, in which an OFF timing of a transistor is delayed by a preset delay time from a normal OFF timing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keita Kojima
  • Patent number: 9458789
    Abstract: An injector driver module applies power to a fuel injector of an engine for a fuel injection event. A voltage measuring module measures first and second voltages at first and second electrical connectors of the fuel injector. A parameter determination module determines a maximum value based on a first difference between the first and second voltages, determines a minimum value based on the first difference between the first and second voltages, and determines a second difference between the maximum and minimum values. A diagnostic module, based on the second difference between the maximum and minimum values, indicates whether the fuel injector injected fuel in response to the application of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Lucido, Jonathan T. Shibata
  • Patent number: 9437094
    Abstract: A smoke detector according to various embodiments discussed herein can use a non-radioactive ionization technique to detect the presence of smoke and/or other particulate matter. A non-radioactive ionizing detector may use a LED such as an ultraviolet light emitting diod in combination with a pair of conductive plates, one of which is coated with a photocatalyst coating. When the light strikes the photocatalyst coating, ions can be generated that change a charge characteristic of the photocatalytic coated plate. The occurrence of an alarm can be detected based on a measured charge magnitude existing between the two plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventor: Andrew W. Goldenson
  • Patent number: 9429126
    Abstract: A method of detecting a resistive short-to-ground fault in an injector driver circuit is disclosed. The method includes determining if the injector driver circuit is in an inactive state and providing a pull-up resistor configured for connection to a low-side output of at least one fuel injector. The method further includes selectively enabling a pull-up voltage across the pull-up resistor only when the injector driver circuit is in the inactive state and determining an intersection voltage at a point between the pull-up resistor and the low-side output. The method further includes comparing the intersection voltage with a predetermined reference voltage. The method further includes disabling the injector driver circuit if the short-to-ground fault is detected at the low-side of the fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Hoban, Jr., Sreekumar Regu Girijakumari
  • Patent number: 9389146
    Abstract: A malfunction-determining device for an exhaust gas purifying device, which includes a filter device and a pressure measuring device, includes a usability determiner being configured to determine whether or not the pressure measuring device is usable based on a pressure measured by the pressure measuring device and an exhaust gas flow rate, a frozen-state determiner being configured to determine whether or not the pressure measuring device is frozen, and a malfunction determiner being configured to determine that the pressure measuring device has a malfunction when the usability determiner determines that the pressure measuring device is unusable and the frozen-state determiner determines that the pressure measuring device is not frozen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Saitou, Shouhei Nagasaka, Mitsuyoshi Kimura, Ken Nakano
  • Patent number: 9341109
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting the opening of a scroll valve of a binary flow turbine. Scroll valve adjustments are used at different engine operating conditions to improve engine performance and boost response. Scroll valve adjustments are coordinated with wastegate and EGR valve adjustments for improved engine control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brad Alan Boyer, Julia Helen Buckland, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Barbara Westrate, Stephen Lee Cooper, Keith Michael Plagens
  • Patent number: 9297329
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling exhaust emissions by adjusting an injection profile for fuel injected into an engine cylinder from a plurality of fuel injectors during engine start and crank. By splitting injection of fuel during start so that a portion of fuel is port injected and a remaining portion is direct injected as one or multiple injections, the soot load of the engine can be reduced and fuel economy can be improved. The injections are adjusted based on the alcohol content of the injected fuel to take advantage of the charge cooling properties of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Steven Schwochert, Peter C. Moilanen, Eric Krengel
  • Patent number: 9292979
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for managing fault codes triggered by one or more vehicles during operation. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve recording and analyzing fault codes triggered during a particular time period while a vehicle is in operation. As a result of the analysis, various embodiments of the invention may set a state for each of the identified fault codes, the state indicating a level of action to address the identified fault code. In particular embodiments, the states may be one of a caution state indicating one or more components or sub-systems of the vehicle should be monitored, a critical state indicating one or more components or sub-systems of the vehicle should be repaired, or an environmental state indicating failure or potential failure of one or more components or sub-systems of the vehicle may affect one or more environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Olsen, III, David L. Bradley, Matthew S. Hendrix
  • Patent number: 9231260
    Abstract: A system and method for redistribution of the flow of fuel under faulted conditions in a fuel cell system is disclosed. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack; a fuel tank for storing fuel; fuel injectors that sequentially supply fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel cell stack; and a controller for determining whether a fault condition exists in one of the fuel injectors. If a fault condition exists in the first injector, the controller is capable of redistributing the flow of fuel from a first injector to a second injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Frank Leo, Kiran Mallavarapu, Lihling Tzuu
  • Patent number: 9200975
    Abstract: A pressure diagnostic system includes a pressure error calculating module that generates a pressure error based on a first pressure signal and a second pressure signal. A difference calculating module generates a desired pressure difference based on a current desired pressure and a prior desired pressure. A lag filter module applies lag filter to the pressure error to generate a lag filtered pressure error. A fault module selectively generates a fault based on the lag filtered pressure error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Rafat F. Hattar, Jeffrey M. Hutmacher, Paul D. Donar, Matthew Timothy Hamilton
  • Patent number: 9052223
    Abstract: A flow meter outputs a frequency signal, which corresponds to an air flow quantity of intake air to be supplied to an engine. In an engine control unit, when a sensed value of the air flow quantity, which is obtained based on the frequency signal, is within an estimated air flow quantity range, which is estimated based on an operational state of the engine, the sensed value of the air flow quantity is determined as a measurement value of the flow meter. In contrast, when the sensed value of the air flow quantity is out of the estimated air flow quantity range, a median of the estimated air flow quantity range is determined as the measurement value of the flow meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasushi Kohno
  • Patent number: 9051912
    Abstract: An octane rating estimating section estimates the octane rating of fuel on the basis of detection signals from intake air temperature, water temperature, fuel and knock sensors. A pre-ignition occurrence index calculating section calculates a pre-ignition occurrence index on the basis of the estimated octane rating; and a pre-ignition occurrence index correcting section corrects the pre-ignition occurrence index such that pre-ignition occurs more easily. An automatic idling stopping determining section determines automatic idling stopping on the basis of a determination result of an automatic idling stopping prohibition determining section which determines the prohibition of automatic idling stopping on the basis of the pre-ignition occurrence index, an operation signal from the air conditioner, and steering information; and a fuel injection control section which controls fuel injection per the automatic idling stopping determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Tomokazu Makino
  • Patent number: 9043121
    Abstract: In an engine having a plurality of cylinders in which a plurality of fuel injection valves are provided respectively, fuel is injected at a predetermined injection ratio, and an abnormality of air-fuel ratio variation is detected. If a fuel injection amount of at least one of the plurality of the fuel injection valves is smaller than a predetermined reference value, the fuel injection amount is increased so as to become equal to or larger than the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kato, Isao Nakajima, Kiyotaka Kushihama, Tatsuro Shimada, Shinichi Nakagoshi
  • Patent number: 9008948
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus includes a low-side driver, arranged electrically downstream of an injector and operable to drive the injector with a changeover of an ON-OFF state thereof in response to a drive signal from a CPU; a high-side driver, arranged electrically upstream of the injector and downstream of a power source, and having an ON-OFF state thereof which may be changed in response to the drive signal from the CPU; a high-side return signal detection unit and a low-side return signal detection unit. Each of the low-side and high-side drivers includes a transistor arranged inside an ECU. The CPU diagnoses a function of a drive circuit based on the presence or non-presence of return signals received from the high-side return signal detection unit and the low-side return signal detection unit with respect to predetermined driving states of both the low-side and high-side drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Machida
  • Patent number: 9004050
    Abstract: Embodiments for indicating fuel rail temperature sensor degradation are provided. In one embodiment, an engine method comprises delivering gaseous fuel to a cylinder based on feedback from a fuel rail temperature sensor, and during select conditions, indicating fuel rail temperature sensor degradation based on a difference between measured fuel rail temperature and an expected temperature. In this way, measured fuel rail temperature may be correlated with other engine temperatures to detect sensor degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 8997714
    Abstract: A method, comprising: operating an engine cylinder with fuel from a first injector and not a second injector and activating the second injector in response to a rail pressure increase of a fuel rail, the fuel rail coupled to the second injector. In this way, degradation of the second injector may be reduced by activating the second injector and allowing fuel flow through the second injector to reduce the pressure and temperature of the fuel rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Todd Anthony Rumpsa
  • Patent number: 8996280
    Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel injector, a transition range of the characteristics curve of the injector is detected individually and adapted continuously, so that a monotonous characteristics curve is formed, with whose aid high metering precision of the injector is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Joos, Ruben Schlueter, Jens Neuberg, Helerson Kemmer, Holger Rapp, Haris Hamedovic, Joerg Koenig, Anh-Tuan Hoang, Bernd Wichert, Achim Hirchenhein
  • Patent number: 8949003
    Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which can favorably suppress an occurrence of abnormal combustion regardless of its operational conditions. An occurrence probability of abnormal combustion of the internal combustion engine (10) is obtained on the basis of a fuel dilution index. An expected value I of the number of occurrences of abnormal combustion per a predetermined time period is calculated on the basis of the occurrence probability of abnormal combustion. The upper limit value of a torque generated by the internal combustion engine (10) is limited low so that the expected value I does not exceed a predetermined tolerable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Okada
  • Patent number: 8904996
    Abstract: In a method for operating an injector of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in which an actuator for driving a component of the injector is provided, the actuator is controlled in such a way that at least two partial injections are brought about within a working cycle of the internal combustion engine. For each partial injection, a starting point in time of the partial injection is ascertained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guido Porten, Markus Amler, Matthias Walz, Alexandra Woerz, Ralf Hofmann, Arthur Pichlkostner
  • Patent number: 8909413
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems and methods for using a feedback correction factor to determine whether a motor vehicle should be placed in a judging or non-judging mode regarding the on-board diagnostic system. If the feedback correction factor is within a predetermined range, the vehicle is placed in a judging mode. If the feedback correction factor is outside a predetermined range, the vehicle is placed in a non-judging mode. Methods and systems for using an engine oil temperature to determine whether a motor vehicle should be placed in a judging or non-judging mode regarding the on-board diagnostic system are disclosed. If an engine oil temperature, or predicted engine oil temperature, is below a predetermined temperature, the motor vehicle is placed in a non-judging mode. If an engine oil temperature, or predicted engine oil temperature, is above a predetermined temperature, the motor vehicle is placed in a judging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Anthony P. Mortensen
  • Patent number: 8909457
    Abstract: A dual fuel common rail system may be operated in a regular mode in which a relatively large charge of gaseous fuel is ignited by compression igniting a relatively small injection quantity of liquid diesel fuel. The dual fuel system may be operated in a single fuel limp home mode in which liquid diesel fuel is injected at higher pressures. When transitioning from the single fuel limp home mode to the dual fuel regular mode, accumulated leaked liquid fuel in the gaseous nozzle chamber of each fuel injector is purged and burned in the respective engine cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Puckett, Steven Thomas Grant, Frank Lombardi
  • Patent number: 8905004
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a booster, a first controller, and a second controller. The booster is configured to increase an output voltage of a battery to a drive voltage of a fuel injection unit of the internal combustion engine. The first controller has a first initialization time after boot of the first controller. The first controller is configured to control the booster to increase the output voltage to the drive voltage at start-up of the internal combustion engine. The second controller has a second initialization time after boot of the second controller. The second initialization time is longer than the first initialization time of the first controller. The second controller is configured to control the booster to increase the output voltage to the drive voltage after the start-up of the internal combustion engine is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuko Kitamura, Akitsugu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8892337
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting imbalance abnormality in an air-fuel ratio between cylinders in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine according to the present invention increases a fuel injection quantity to a predetermined target cylinder to detect imbalance abnormality in an air-fuel ratio between cylinders at least based upon a rotation variation of the target cylinder after increasing the fuel injection quantity. The increase in the fuel injection quantity is carried out in the middle of performing the post-fuel-cut rich control. Since timing of the post-fuel cut rich control is used to increase the fuel injection quantity, the exhaust emission deterioration due to abnormality detection execution can be prevented as much as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shota Kitano, Hitoshi Tanaka, Isao Nakajima, Yoshihisa Oda, Masashi Hakariya, Kiyotaka Kushihama, Kazuyuki Noda, Akihiro Katayama, Yuichi Kohara, Katsumi Adachi
  • Patent number: 8880322
    Abstract: A vehicle including an internal combustion engine provided with a plurality of cylinders, and a control unit that determines that an abnormality of the internal combustion engine has occurred when an atmospheric pressure has a first value and an operation state represented by at least one of an output shaft revolution speed and a load of the internal combustion engine is within a preset region and determines that an abnormality of the internal combustion engine has occurred when the atmospheric pressure has a second value that is lower than the first value and the operation state is outside the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikazu Kato, Yusuke Fujitsu
  • Patent number: 8849547
    Abstract: In a common rail system having two electrically controlled actuating elements, e.g., a metering unit at the input side of a high-pressure pump and a pressure regulating valve on the common rail, different fuel delivery quantities are able to be set in the common rail system while the vehicle is stationary, independent of the current engine load, by controlling operating points via one of the actuating elements and subsequently regulating the other actuating element. Control currents of the actuating elements correspond to the operating points. These control currents, or differences of control currents, are compared to target values to enable an evaluation of the common rail system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Hackner, Stefan Hoerenberg
  • Patent number: 8739764
    Abstract: A common-rail-type fuel injection control device where an error in the correction of a fuel injection amount when an exhaust brake is used is eliminated enabling a more reliable correction of a fuel injection amount. A minute injection is performed plural times in a non-injection state. A difference between a reference energizing time, which becomes the reference for a fuel injection valve, and an actual energizing time based on a frequency component corresponding to a variation in an engine speed which is generated in the minute injection is learned. A correction control corrects an energizing time and timing. The correction control is corrected corresponding to a presence or non-presence of an operation of an exhaust brake and a magnitude of a supercharging pressure, and an amount of variation in an engine speed calculated based on a rotational variation frequency component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeyoshi Nakamura, Yasuhito Kirita, Osamu Mori
  • Patent number: 8744728
    Abstract: Over a diesel engine's lifetime, engine efficiency may be reduced and some of this may be attributable to sulfur deposit accumulation in the engine. A method for controlling operation of a diesel engine operating on a fuel is provided. The method may include adjusting an injection of fuel to the engine in response to a sulfur content of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Keli Alark, Richard Kellogg Morton
  • Patent number: 8725391
    Abstract: In order to locate errors of the rail pressure sensor (38) when starting problems occur, the following method steps are proposed: determination of whether starting problems occur in the engine and if this is the case, an engine state is induced, in which the engine controller is already active but the starting phase of the engine has not yet commenced; substitution of the measured rail pressure sensor value used by the engine controller with a substitute value; start attempt of the engine and determination whether the engine has achieved an independent operation; and identification of an error function of the rail pressure sensor if the starting problems only occur when the measured rail pressure sensor value is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Matthias Stampfer
  • Patent number: 8707932
    Abstract: A Fuel transfer pump system comprising a multi-mode control process for transferring fuel. The multi-mode control process comprising a closed loop pressure control mode for maintaining fuel pressure at an outlet of a fuel transfer pump at a substantially constant target pressure and having a soft start mode for bidirectionally ramping up to the target pressure by utilizing an open loop control in combination with the closed loop pressure control mode; a current control mode dynamically switchable from the closed loop pressure control mode for controlling a motor driving the fuel transfer pump as a function of a predetermined current threshold; a DC-bus voltage compensation mode operable with either the closed loop pressure control mode or the current control mode for compensating DC bus voltage sag; and an open loop ramp down mode for ramping open loop motor RPMs to zero from any other mode for shutting down system operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Paragon Products, LLC
    Inventors: Zeljko Marin, Stephen T. Adelman
  • Publication number: 20140109876
    Abstract: Proposed is a method for monitoring a passive pressure limiting valve (11) via which fuel is discharged from the rail (6) of a common rail system into the fuel tank (2), in which method, upon the detection of a defective rail pressure sensor (9), a switch is made from a rail pressure regulation mode into an emergency mode, wherein in the emergency mode, the rail pressure is successively increased until the pressure limiting valve (11) reacts, in which method, in the emergency mode, the pressure limiting valve (11) is set as open when the starting phase of the internal combustion engine has additionally been detected as having ended, and in which method, in addition, the opening duration of the pressure limiting valve (11) is monitored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 8694228
    Abstract: A fuel injection control for an internal combustion engine includes a coil, a first switch, a capacitor, a second switch, and a control circuit. The coil is to boost a voltage of a power supply source. The first switch is connected at one end to an output side of the coil and at the other end to a ground. The capacitor is connected to an electromagnetic fuel injection valve to store energy which has been stored in the coil. The second switch is connected at one end between the coil and the first switch and at the other end to an input side of the capacitor. The control circuit is connected to the first switch and the second switch. The control circuit is configured to perform synchronous rectifying control for switching the first switch and the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuko Kitamura, Jun Ishii, Akitsugu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8666642
    Abstract: A system for detecting memory corruption in an engine control module includes a variable selection module, an output module, an input module, and a response comparing module. The variable selection module selects a variable of a control system for testing. The output module outputs a predetermined value of said variable to a memory location where said variable is stored in said engine control module. The input module receives a response of said control system to said predetermined value when said predetermined value is written in said memory location. The response comparing module compares said response to a predetermined range and determines that said memory location is defective when said response is not within said predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventors: Joseph M. Stempnik, James A. Shore, Bryan D Lehman
  • Patent number: 8650003
    Abstract: A process for validating the fault detection of a device under test includes carrying out a series of basic tests of the device under test. Each basic test leads to a positive or negative result indicating normal or abnormal functioning of the device under test. The process also includes, after each realization of a basic test, updating an event counter (CRT) and updating a result counter (FCRT). Validation is performed depending on test result once the event counter has reached a first maximal value (CTRmax) or once the realization counter has reached a second maximal value (FCTRmax). The process can be performed by a diagnostic device. The process and device can monitor the electric or functional performance of more or less complex systems installed in an automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Joseph Regnard De Lagny, Abdelmalik Belaid
  • Patent number: 8600608
    Abstract: A communication system for a vehicle includes: a plurality of controllers mounted on the vehicle; a data communication network for coupling the plurality of controllers with each other so that the controllers transmit data to and receive data from each other via the data communication network; a failure diagnosis device for diagnosing whether each controller is normal; a failure diagnosis activation device for activating the failure diagnosis device; and an avoiding condition setting device for setting an avoiding condition, which provides to avoid execution of the failure diagnosis when the failure diagnosis device is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Inoue, Yuichi Ochiai, Tomohiro Kani, Ichiro Usami, Takashi Wada
  • Patent number: 8554448
    Abstract: A fuel injection detecting device computes an actual fuel-injection-end timing based on a rising waveform of the fuel pressure detected by a fuel sensor during a period in which the fuel pressure increases due to a fuel injection rate decrease. The rising waveform is modeled by a modeling formula. A reference pressure Ps(n) is substituted into the modeling formula, whereby a timing “te” is obtained as the fuel-injection-end timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Imai, Naoyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 8554454
    Abstract: A method for testing a fuel injector including providing an engine with a common rail fuel injection system having one or more fuel injectors; operating the engine at a selected set of operating conditions; conducting a motoring event; allowing a first settling duration; measuring a first rail pressure; operating a first selected injector including operating the first selected injector singly in response to a selected fuel quantity, a selected number of combustion cycles, and a selected number of injections per combustion cycle; allowing a second settling duration; measuring a second rail pressure; calculating a pressure difference value in response to the first rail pressure and the second rail pressure; inferring an amount of fuel delivered by the first selected injector in response to the pressure difference value; and evaluating a first performance factor of the first selected injector in response to the amount of fuel delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Michael R. Tidwell, Anand Manthena
  • Patent number: 8548718
    Abstract: In an abnormality detection apparatus and an abnormality detection method for a construction in which each of cylinders is provided with a plurality of fuel injection valves, if it is discerned that a cause of the inter-cylinder variation abnormality exists in one of the fuel injection valves, an air/fuel ratio fluctuation parameter as an index value that represents the degree of the abnormality is calculated by normalizing the air/fuel ratio fluctuation parameter regarding that fuel injection valve on the basis of the injection proportion used when the parameter is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kato, Isao Nakajima, Yoshihisa Oda, Takefumi Uchida
  • Patent number: 8515651
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for stabilizing a controller and to the use of that method for stabilizing a controller system in an internal combustion engine. It is proposed that the stability of the controller first be established or excluded, that the control characteristic of the controller be altered and that the stability be checked again, and that those steps be repeated in a loop. For use in internal combustion engines, it is proposed that the order of precedence for the stabilization be specified and optionally made dependent on external ambient parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephane De Tricaud, Thomas Mueller
  • Patent number: 8490601
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating the temperature of a gas pressure sensor attached to a wall of a turbocharged motor vehicle diesel engine, said sensor being positioned upstream of the turbine of the turbocharger. According to the invention, the temperature of the gas pressure sensor is estimated at least by measuring the temperature of the external air and the temperature of the wall to which the sensor is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Philippe Recouvreur, Olivier Tigrine
  • Patent number: 8494755
    Abstract: The apparatus according to the invention comprises a controller for forming a speed signal arranged to receive speed measurement data of the internal combustion engine as well as speed reference data. The apparatus additionally comprises a module for forming the internal speed reference value instead of the speed reference value set to be used when forming the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Wartsila Finland Oy
    Inventors: Tom Kaas, Tom Troberg, Johan Pensar
  • Patent number: 8485160
    Abstract: In a fuel pressure regulating system for an internal combustion engine, having a pressure accumulator storing fuel under pressure and feeding injectors providing the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine with fuel, a high-pressure pump feeding a fuel mass flow into the pressure accumulator, a first valve for throttling the fuel mass flow, a second valve by means of which fuel can be discharged from the pressure accumulator, and a control unit for actuating the valves, the control unit determines a fuel mass flow required by the pressure accumulator depending on a prescribed target pressure in the pressure accumulator, divides the determined fuel mass flow into a partial mass flow fed in by the first valve and discharged by the second valve, and actuates the valves according to the partial mass flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Hui Li, Anselm Schwarte
  • Patent number: 8482288
    Abstract: The particulate matter detection device of the present invention is a particulate matter detection device 100 including an electrode portion 21 and detection means 23 for detecting an electrical characteristic of the electrode portion 21, whereby a particulate matter 36 contained in an exhaust gas 32 is detected on the basis of a change of the electrical characteristic due to the particulate matter 36 attached to the electrode portion 21. The particulate matter detection device i00 further includes removal means 25 and abnormality judgment means 26 for comparing an initial electrical characteristic in a use initial state of the device with the electrical characteristic measured in a state where the particulate matter 36 attached to the surface of the electrode portion 21 is removed by the removal means 25, to judge whether or not the particulate matter detection device i00 has an abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: NGK Insulators, Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Yokoi, Takayuki Sakurai, Tatsuya Okayama, Masanobu Miki, Keizo Iwama, Makoto Hattori, Hidetaka Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8478510
    Abstract: Over a diesel engine's lifetime, engine efficiency may be reduced and some of this may be attributable to sulfur deposit accumulation in the engine. A method for controlling operation of a diesel engine operating on a fuel is provided. The method may include adjusting an injection of fuel to the engine in response to a sulfur content of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Keli Alark, Richard Kellogg Morton