Having Microprocessor Patents (Class 123/480)
  • Patent number: 10275366
    Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate protecting vehicle impact event data from overwrite include an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor that records event data related to vehicle operation, a memory that stores the event data, and an electronic tool that communicates with the ECU and comprises a data locking module that sends a data lock signal to the ECU to lock the stored event data as locked data such that the stored event data cannot be overwritten. The ECU, in response to the data lock signal, stores the event data as locked data in a dedicated portion of the memory to preserve the event data for subsequent review.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: BENDIX COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Ananda Pandy, Mark A. Bennett, Brendan J. Chan
  • Patent number: 10260449
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine includes a processing circuit configured to execute a calculating process that calculates a returned air amount and an operating process that operates a fuel injection valve so that an air-fuel ratio of a mixture that is burned in a combustion chamber is controlled to a target value. The operating process includes under a condition in which the returned air amount is increased, having the fuel injection valve inject fuel increased in amount from a constant fuel amount, which is an amount of fuel injected when the returned air amount is unchanged, and under a condition in which the returned air amount is decreased, having the fuel injection valve inject fuel decreased in amount from the constant fuel amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori Toya, Kazuya Oshima, Yoshikazu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10247120
    Abstract: When executing a Local-learning, an air-fuel ratio detecting time is corrected so that a dispersion of detection values of an air-fuel ratio sensor becomes a maximum value in one cycle of an engine. While executing a cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio control, a Global-learning is executed. In the Global-learning, the air-fuel ratio detecting time is corrected based on a relationship between a variation in estimated air fuel ratio of each cylinder and a variation in fuel quantity correction value of each cylinder. In the Global-learning, a computer computes a correlation coefficient between the variation in estimated air-fuel ratio and the variation in fuel quantity correction value of the cylinder for each case where the cylinder assumed to correspond to the estimated air fuel ratio is hypothetically varied in multiple ways. Then, the air-fuel ratio detecting time is corrected so that this correlation coefficient becomes a maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, Noriaki Iwase
  • Patent number: 10227943
    Abstract: In voltage boosting circuit for performing rapid power supply to a plurality of electromagnetic coils that drive fuel-injection electromagnetic valves, an overcurrent from vehicle battery is suppressed, and continuous noise is prevented from being produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Eitaro Fukuzumi, Mitsunori Nishida
  • Patent number: 10221796
    Abstract: An engine device including an intake manifold (67) configured to supply air into a cylinder (36), a gas injector (98) configured to mix fuel gas with air supplied from the intake manifold (67), and supply mixed gas to the cylinder (36), and an igniter (79) configured to ignite, in the cylinder (36) premixed fuel obtained by pre-mixing the fuel gas with the air, the engine device further including a controlling unit (73) configured to determine an air amount in the premixed fuel in the cylinder (36). The controlling unit (73) performs in multiple steps retard control of ignition timing by the igniter (79), when the air amount is insufficient, and performs in multiple steps advance control of the ignition timing, when the air amount is sufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hagiwara, Osamu Yamagishi, Naoya Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10190677
    Abstract: A system of determining starting tendency of a driver may include: a vehicle speed sensor detecting a vehicle speed an accelerator pedal position sensor detecting an accelerator pedal position, and a controller receiving information on input variables including the accelerator pedal position, the vehicle speed from the accelerator pedal position sensor or the vehicle speed sensor, determining a short term driving tendency, a long term driving tendency, and a starting tendency of the driver based on the information, and controlling an engine or a transmission according to the short term driving tendency, the long term driving tendency, and the starting tendency, in which the controller continuously determines the short term driving tendency of the driver for a predetermined time and determines the starting tendency of the driver from a predetermined number (n) of the short term driving tendencies of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Donghoon Jeong, Byeongwook Jeon
  • Patent number: 10184414
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a fuel injection system includes generating injection commands, including attenuating a predetermined fuel request schedule for a different one of the plurality of injectors in a plurality of test cycles. Fuel is injected according to the injection commands to complete the plurality of test cycles. The processor generates pump commands for the pump to maintain a substantially constant pressure of the common rail during the test cycles. First command data are stored for the plurality of test cycles corresponding to the injection commands sent during the test cycles. Second command data are stored for the test cycles corresponding to the pump commands sent during the test cycles. The processor processes the first command data and the second command data to determine flow characteristics of the plurality of fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Francesco Laviola
  • Patent number: 10125703
    Abstract: Based on an internal EGR ratio and desired external and internal EGR ratios, an EGR valve opening degree is feedback-controlled based on a desired EGR ratio, calculated in such a way as to perform correction so that a total EGR ratio becomes constant, and an EGR effective opening area obtained through learning of the relationship between an EGR valve opening degree and an effective opening area; thus, a correct characteristic of EGR valve opening degree vs. effective opening area can be maintained and hence it is made possible to absorb variations, changes with time, and even environmental conditions, while making an EGR valve and an intake/exhaust VVT collaborate with each other; therefore, an EGR flow rate can accurately be estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuo Watanuki, Hideki Hagari, Tomokazu Makino
  • Patent number: 10113930
    Abstract: A method (45) for determining the total pressure in a cylinder (Pcyl) of an engine as a function of the angular position (crk) of a crankshaft (14) and from a quantity of fuel to be injected in possibly several injections, includes: determining the pressure in the cylinder when there is no combustion, the pressure being called the pressure without combustion (Pcyl_m), determining, for each injection (inji), a curve of sub-variation of pressure (?Pcomb_i) caused by the combustion of the fuel quantity injected during the such injection (inji), the shape of the curve being estimated as a function of the quantity of fuel to be injected (MFi) and of the angular position for start of injection (SOIi) of the corresponding injection, determining the total pressure in the cylinder (Pcyl) by adding together the pressure without combustion (Pcyl_m) and the pressures given by the pressure sub-variation curves (?Pcomb_i) of each injection (inji).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Bertrand Varoquie, Christophe Bouquey
  • Patent number: 10094301
    Abstract: A controller is applied to such an internal combustion engine that an exhaust throttle valve for controlling the flow volume of exhaust gas of the exhaust passage is provided in the exhaust passage, an intake variable valve mechanism for changing the timing of opening and closing each intake valve or an exhaust variable valve mechanism for changing the timing of opening and closing each exhaust valve is provided, and an overlap period when an opening period of the intake valve and an opening period of the exhaust valve overlap with each other can be provided, and controls the exhaust throttle valve so that an opening degree of the exhaust throttle valve in the overlap period is made smaller than an opening degree of the exhaust throttle valve in a case where the overlap period is not provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuo Omura
  • Patent number: 10087871
    Abstract: An add-on fuel injector control system and method for modifying a fuel injector pulse width for an electronically-controlled internal combustion engine is provided, which intercepts a pulse from an engine control unit (ECU) to a fuel injector, determines the optimal operational band, and either sends a modified or unmodified control signal pulse width to the fuel injector, depending on the band determination. The pulse width is increased by a total fuel adder. If the ECU control signal is determined to be in the auto-tune band, the controller modifies the output pulse width based on a comparison of current and previous values correlated to the rate of change of acceleration and whether the previous total fuel adder included an addition or subtraction of an auto-tune adder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Inventors: Richard W. Botting, David James Bucciarelli
  • Patent number: 10036305
    Abstract: A method of cooling a compressor, providing compressed working fluid, in a natural gas based combustion engine is provided. The method includes diverting at least a portion of natural gas from a fuel tank of the combustion engine. The method further includes routing the portion of natural gas towards the compressor. The method also includes providing one or more nozzles disposed at one or more strategic locations of the compressor. The method further includes injecting the portion of natural gas, via the one or more nozzles, inside the compressor. The method also includes allowing the portion of natural gas to diffuse with the compressed working fluid inside the compressor in an endothermic expansion process, to convectively cool the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Nan Yang, Robert C. Griffith, Arnold M. Kim
  • Patent number: 9926856
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus relate to air handling for an internal combustion engine system, particularly utilizing premixed air and fuel. The engine system includes an intake air throttle (IAT) having a position set in response to the engine speed and a variable valve timing module having an intake valve timing set in response to the engine load. The variable valve timing module may be a cam phaser having a position at or between full retard and full advance positions. The engine system may operate in a transient mode or a fuel efficiency mode. The IAT position is adjusted in response to an engine speed error value or set at full throttle. The cam phaser position is adjusted in response to a pressure difference across the IAT, the engine speed, or is set to a limit position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Jing Wang, Richard A. Booth, Phanindra Garimella
  • Patent number: 9926869
    Abstract: A method for adapting a transition compensation based on a lambda value change for operating an engine, which includes a combustion chamber having a first inlet opening connected to a first intake pipe having a first injector. The chamber includes a second inlet opening connected to a second intake pipe having a second injector. During normal operation, a predetermined fuel quantity is injected, and this quantity includes a first and second fuel quantities to be injected respectively via the first and second openings. In a first step, the first injector remains closed, and in a second step, the first injector is opened again. In the second step, a first test fuel quantity is injected into the combustion chamber via the first opening and a second test fuel quantity is injected via the second opening, the first and second test fuel quantities making up the predetermined fuel quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Lorenz, Andreas Posselt, Andrea Krusch, Andreas Gutscher, Haris Hamedovic
  • Patent number: 9920705
    Abstract: A combination port fuel injection (PFI) and direct injection (DI) dual path fuel injection system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) that switches between the PFI portion and the DI portion depending on the engine operating point and fuel flow requirements. During transitions in engine loading, the ECU instructs the PFI portion to increase injection for a limited amount of time, while instructing the DI portion to maintain a current injection. Subsequently, fueling is transitioned from the PFI portion back to the DI portion. Advantageously, the combination PFI and DI dual path fuel injection system mitigates the emission of particles during transient engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: Robert Bosch, LLC, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Mosburger
  • Patent number: 9920701
    Abstract: It is determined whether the execution conditions for the injection quantity variation correction are met, based on whether all of following conditions are satisfied: the engine operation is the stationary operation, the injection quantity of a fuel injection valve falls within the predetermined range, and the fuel pressure falls within the predetermined range. When the execution conditions are met, the fuel pressure decrease caused by the fuel injection of the fuel injection valve for each cylinder is calculated based on the output of a fuel pressure sensor, and the injection quantity variation correction to correct the injection quantity variation of the fuel injection valve for each cylinder is performed based on the fuel pressure decrease caused by the fuel injection of each cylinder. Thus, the fuel pressure decrease can be accurately calculated, the injection quantity variation of each cylinder is precisely corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Fukuda, Akihiro Okamoto, Ryohei Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9903297
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust purification catalyst able to store oxygen, and a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor arranged at a downstream side of the exhaust purification catalyst in a direction of exhaust flow. The control system performs feedback control of an amount of fuel fed to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine so that an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst becomes a target air-fuel ratio and performs learning control to correct a parameter relating to the feedback control based on an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas detected by the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor. The target air-fuel ratio is alternately switched between a rich set air-fuel ratio and a lean set air-fuel ratio leaner. When a condition for learning acceleration, which is satisfied when it is necessary to accelerate correction of the parameter by the learning control, is satisfied, a rich degree of the rich set air-fuel ratio is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuntaro Okazaki, Norihisa Nakagawa, Yuji Yamaguchi, Kenji Suzuki, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Yasushi Iwazaki
  • Patent number: 9897027
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for estimating an impact of PCV hydrocarbons on an output of an intake oxygen sensor. In one example, a method may include disabling EGR flow when the impact of PCV hydrocarbons on the output of the intake oxygen sensor is above a threshold. The impact of the PCV hydrocarbons on the output of the intake oxygen sensor may be based on a difference between the output of the intake oxygen sensor and a DPOV sensor when EGR is flow and a difference between the output of the intake oxygen sensor and expected blow-by when EGR is not flowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, James Alfred Hilditch, Stephen B. Smith, Michael Howard Shelby, Todd Anthony Rumpsa, Mohannad Hakeem
  • Patent number: 9897034
    Abstract: Provided is a control device of an engine that can certainly suppress and avoid pre-ignition. A control device of an engine is an engine control device for controlling the behavior of fuel that is directly injected into a combustion chamber of a cylinder by a tumble flow, and it has an injector that directly injects the fuel into the combustion chamber, an intake port that generates the tumble flow in the combustion chamber, and an ECU that injects the fuel from the injector at a plurality of injection timings including an intake-stroke-early-half injection timing that is set at an early half of the intake stroke of the cylinder, when an operating state of the engine is in a high-load, low-rotation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsugawa, Hiroki Morimoto, Nobuhiko Yokoyama, Shouichi Aiga, Yoshitomo Matsuo, Tomoaki Fujiyama, Yoshitaka Wada
  • Patent number: 9890748
    Abstract: Provided is a method for calculating an oxygen concentration in a combustion chamber, including: calculating volume efficiency of the combustion chamber while a variable valve lift is in an on state and the volume efficiency of the combustion chamber and the volume of internal EGR from the volume of the combustion chamber while the variable valve lift is in an off state; and calculating a mass of the internal EGR from the pressure of an exhaust manifold, the temperature of the exhaust manifold, and the volume of the internal EGR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: JangSu Lee, Seungcheol Han
  • Patent number: 9845760
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for accurately estimating intake aircharge based on the output of an intake oxygen sensor while flowing EGR, purge, or PCV hydrocarbons to the engine. The unadjusted aircharge estimate is used for engine fuel control while the hydrocarbon adjusted aircharge estimate is used for engine torque control. A controller is configured to sample the oxygen sensor at even increments in a time domain, stamp the sampled data in a crank angle domain, store the sampled data in a buffer, and then select one or more data samples corresponding to a last firing period from the buffer for estimating the intake aircharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Justin Trzeciak, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 9790873
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control controls an air-fuel ratio (air-fuel ratio of an engine) of a mixture supplied to the engine, based on an output value of the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst. That is, the air-fuel ratio control apparatus sets the air-fuel ratio of the engine at a rich air-fuel ratio when the output Voxs is smaller than a reference value VREF (when a rich request is occurring). The air-fuel ratio control apparatus sets the air-fuel ratio of the engine at a lean air-fuel ratio when the output Voxs is larger than a reference value VREF (when a lean request is occurring). The air-fuel ratio control apparatus makes the target value VREF gradually come closer to a reference value VF (stoichiometric air-fuel ratio corresponding value) from a certain value, when the output value Voxs deviates greatly from the reference value Vf (points P1-P3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Tomimatsu, Ryota Onoe, Takahiko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9719481
    Abstract: The invention, while reducing noise, suppresses a load increase in a processor and a delay in drive control. An engine control unit includes a processor, a driving circuit including a switching element to drive a load such as a fuel injector and an ignition device, and a communication circuit that transmits control signals from the processor to the driving circuit via serial communication. The control signals each include a command frame for controlling the driving circuit and a data frame for driving the load. If a predetermined bits in each of the data frames received from the processor at predetermined time intervals are determined to be the same twice in succession, the engine control unit changes a state of a driving signal ‘Drive’ for driving the load and thereby changes an operating state of the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Oyama, Chihiro Sato, Mitsuhiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9708965
    Abstract: Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood
  • Patent number: 9702308
    Abstract: A diesel engine, includes: an exhaust gas recirculation device that recirculates an exhaust gas emitted from the diesel engine to an intake side of the diesel engine; an intake air amount sensor that measures an intake air amount of the diesel engine; a NOx measurement sensor that measures NOx contained in the exhaust gas emitted from the diesel engine; and a control device that obtains a correction value for correcting a measured value by the intake air amount sensor based on a difference between first information on NOx obtained based on information on a rotation speed of the diesel engine and information on a load and second information on NOx measured by the NOx measurement sensor to control the exhaust gas recirculation device based on the measured value by the intake air amount sensor corrected using the correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Nakashima, Tadashi Iijima, Kaoru Sakurai, Kouichi Okaya, Takashi Sakasai
  • Patent number: 9644563
    Abstract: An engine control unit of a power system is provided with a memory module which stores a fuel consumption data. An electric power ECU of a power supply system controls an operation mode of a generator based on a fuel consumption associated data transmitted from an engine control unit. An air-condition ECU of a heat system controls an operation mode of a compressor based on the fuel consumption associated data transmitted from the engine control unit. By updating the fuel consumption data stored in the engine control unit, control characteristics of the power supply system and the heat system can be varied. The fuel consumption associated data is transmitted to the ECU in preference to the other data. Moreover, the fuel consumption associated data is transmitted in a period which the electric power ECU and the air-condition ECU require.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9644543
    Abstract: An engine assembly includes an intake manifold and a manifold absolute pressure sensor configured to generate a current measured manifold absolute pressure (MAPM) signal for the intake manifold. The assembly includes a throttle valve adjustable to control airflow to the intake manifold and a throttle position sensor configured to generate a current measured throttle position (TPM) signal. A controller is operatively connected to the throttle valve and the manifold absolute pressure sensor and has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for determining a predicted manifold absolute pressure (MAPP). Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to determine the predicted manifold absolute pressure (MAPP) based at least partially on a predicted throttle flow (TFP) and the current measured manifold absolute pressure (MAPM) signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yiran Hu, Ibrahim Haskara, Shifang Li, Sai S. V. Rajagopalan, Steven E Muldoon, Chen-Fang Chang
  • Patent number: 9638117
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a vehicular engine that comprises a plurality of pistons and a plurality of cylinders. The method comprises detecting an engine temperature and detecting an alcohol concentration of fuel. The method further comprises selecting an amount of fuel according to the engine temperature and the alcohol concentration and selectively dispensing the amount of fuel to the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Lent, Joshua D. VanLandingham
  • Patent number: 9624862
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine in the present invention is provided with a fuel injection valve (12) which is capable of directly injecting fuel into a cylinder, and which includes: a needle valve (12b) that has a seat contact part (12b1) at its distal end part; and a nozzle body (12a) that has a seat part (12a1) with which the seat contact part (12b1) comes into contact, a fuel receiving part (12d) formed downstream of the seat part (12a1), and a plurality of nozzle holes (12e) formed downstream of the seat part (12a1). The control apparatus executes learning control of fuel injection amount to learn the fuel injection amount. Further, the control apparatus executes pre-learning injection of fuel prior to execution of learning-use injection of fuel for the learning control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masato Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 9598072
    Abstract: An ECU determines whether or not fuel in a fuel tank deteriorates. A heating system is configured to be able to perform heating (engine heating) using heat of an engine which heating uses the engine under operation as a heat source, and heating (heat-pump heating) using a heat pump cycle without using the engine as a heat source. When it is determined that the fuel in the fuel tank deteriorates, the ECU controls the heating system and the engine so as to give priority to the engine heating over the heat-pump heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takanori Aoki
  • Patent number: 9590898
    Abstract: A method in a network controller of a control plane in a software defined network (SDN) coupled to a plurality of network elements (NEs) of a data plane in the SDN is described. The method includes causing the plurality of NEs to install one or more packet handling rules for a selected type of packet so that the NEs forward only a subset of data for each packet of the selected type to the network controller. The method further includes receiving the subset of data for each packet of the selected type and composing a whole packet of the selected type that includes the subset of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Amudhan Gunasekaran, Bhalaji Narayanan, Periyasamy Palanisamy, Sasidharan Sambasivam
  • Patent number: 9567931
    Abstract: When executing a Local-learning, an air-fuel ratio detecting time is corrected so that a dispersion of detection values of an air-fuel ratio sensor becomes a maximum value in one cycle of an engine. While executing a cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio control, a Global-learning is executed. In the Global-learning, the air-fuel ratio detecting time is corrected based on a relationship between a variation in estimated air fuel ratio of each cylinder and a variation in fuel quantity correction value of each cylinder. In the Global-learning, a computer computes a correlation coefficient between the variation in estimated air-fuel ratio and the variation in fuel quantity correction value of the cylinder for each case where the cylinder assumed to correspond to the estimated air fuel ratio is hypothetically varied in multiple ways. Then, the air-fuel ratio detecting time is corrected so that this correlation coefficient becomes a maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, Noriaki Iwase
  • Patent number: 9566975
    Abstract: A drive control device includes: a meshing engagement unit; an engine; a rotary machine; a detector detecting a predetermined parameter; and a controller configured to perform a release control of causing the rotary machine to output a second rotation torque in a direction opposite to a first rotation torque applied from the engine to the engagement unit at a time the engagement unit is released. The release control includes setting a magnitude of the second rotation torque to a predetermined value larger than a magnitude of the first rotation torque at a time the predetermined parameter change degree is not smaller than a threshold value and gradually decreasing the magnitude of the second rotation torque, and setting the magnitude of the second rotation torque to a magnitude smaller than the predetermined value at a time the predetermined parameter change degree is smaller than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroto Hashimoto, Yuji Iwase, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hidekazu Nagai, Shotaro Kato
  • Patent number: 9562487
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for monitoring a pressure of fuel supplied to the fuel injector, and providing a control input voltage to the piezostack in response to the pressure to cause the injector to provide a fuel injection having a desired shape. In the system and method, providing a control input voltage includes applying a model-based algorithm to the pressure to determine the control input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Gregory M. Shaver, Dat Duc Le, Bradley W. Pietrzak
  • Patent number: 9528455
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system having an EGR valve and a reed valve in an EGR passage, and a control device that expresses a relationship between an opening degree of the EGR valve and a mass flow rate of an EGR gas by using a first volume flow rate of the EGR gas that can be expressed by using an isentropic flow equation of a nozzle of the EGR valve and a second volume flow rate of the EGR gas pumped out by the reed valve. Even if the reed valve (check valve) is provided in the EGR passage, the mass flow rate of the EGR gas can be calculated accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihumi Hanamura, Mitsuhiro Aso
  • Patent number: 9500146
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an engine to allow a driver to obtain a working range of the engine in excess a base working range thereof The method includes establishing a base working range, which limits are defined by a base torque versus engine speed curve, establishing an excess working range, which limits are defined between the base torque versus engine speed curve and an excess torque versus engine speed curve, the excess torque versus engine speed curve displaying a higher maximum torque level and/or a higher end engine speed as compared to the base torque versus engine speed curve, establishing an excess availability limit, defining the maximum duration or maximum distance of access to the excess working range per unit time or unit distance, calculating a cumulative consumed excess value per unit time or unit distance by summating any time periods or distances during which the excess working range is accessed within the unit time or unit distance, and controlling the engine in response to driv
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Johnny Eriksson
  • Patent number: 9495271
    Abstract: A statistical power indication monitor including a random pattern generator that generates random sample assertions of a sample signal, a total counter that counts a total number of the random sample assertions within a sample time interval, detect logic that provides a detection signal for each power indication signal that is asserted coincident with the sample signal, and counter logic that counts a number of assertions of each detection signal during the sample time interval. The assertion count of each power indication signal divided by the total count provides a statistical indication of power consumption of a corresponding system. A user may use the statistical monitoring information to adjust system or application operation. The random pattern generator may be a pseudo-random pattern generator including a linear feedback shift register and may have programmable seed and sample rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary R. Morrison, James G. Gay
  • Patent number: 9470175
    Abstract: A method for regulating the power delivered by a reciprocating engine includes the definition of the value of a constant time interval T1 and the values of a threshold for the engine rpm and of a threshold for the percentage opening of the engine throttle valve, below which an operating area is defined in the Cartesian graph xy whose axes represent the engine rpm and the percentage opening of the throttle valve TPS. The method also includes: measuring, for each engine cycle, the value of the engine RPM at the level of an angular position of the crankshaft in a specific stroke (IS, PS); calculating, at the final instant (A) of each time interval T1, an activation value X* obtained from a comparison between the last RPM value measured before the final instant (A) and the last RPM value measured before the initial instant (B) of the time interval T1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Athena S.P.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Pascoli, Enrico Eger
  • Patent number: 9448136
    Abstract: A sensor control apparatus which receives from a gas sensor (10) a sensor output signal Ip corresponding to the concentration of a specific gas component, and a pressure signal P output from a pressure sensor (20). The sensor control apparatus includes a computation section (38) which computes a specific component concentration which is corrected based on the pressure signal P so as to eliminate the influence of the pressure of the gas. The sensor control apparatus includes response adjustment sections (34) and (36) for adjusting the response rates of the sensor output signal Ip and the pressure signal P before being input to the computation section (38), the response rate exhibiting a time variation of the corresponding signal to a change in the pressure of the gas, such that the response rate of the sensor output signal Ip or the response rate of the pressure signal P, whichever is faster, approaches the slower of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuzo Higuchi, Hiroshi Inagaki
  • Patent number: 9394848
    Abstract: Fuel is injected by energizing a solenoid of a fuel injector for an on-time that terminates at a first end-of-current timing. An end-of-current trim is determined at least in part by estimating a duration between an induced current event in a circuit of the solenoid and a valve/armature interaction event. An induced current event occurs when an armature abruptly stops, and a valve/armature interaction event occurs when the armature couples with or de-couples from the valve member. Fuel is injected in a subsequent injection event by adjusting the end-of-current timing by the end-of-current trim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Reese Puckett, Bryan Moore, Michael Edward Sattler, Prasanna Mohan Ballal, Bradley Scott Bashore, Kranti Kumar Nellutla
  • Patent number: 9382862
    Abstract: An air-fuel parameter control system includes an injector, an air-fuel parameter sensor, a fuel film parameter calculation module, an air-fuel parameter prediction module and a fuel injection calibration module. The injector injects fuel into an intake manifold. The air-fuel parameter sensor detects a detected air-fuel parameter in an exhaust pipe. The fuel film parameter calculation module calculates a fuel film parameter relating to a fuel film accumulated the intake manifold based on the detected air-fuel parameter, an amount of the injected fuel and an amount of air flowing into the engine. The air-fuel parameter prediction module predicts a predicted air-fuel parameter based on the detected air-fuel parameter and the fuel film parameter. The fuel injection calibration module calibrates the amount of the injected fuel based on a difference between a reference air-fuel parameter and the predicted air-fuel parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL TAIPEI UNIVERSITY of TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Bo-Chiuan Chen, Yuh-Yih Wu, Wen-Han Tsai, Hsien-Chi Tsai
  • Patent number: 9371792
    Abstract: A method for an engine control unit to update internal tables based on feedback from the engine without external computing, comprising the steps of establishing flash memory and RAM memory in the ECU, assigning a portion of the RAM memory to storage of a table of engine conditions from the flash memory, updating all program code pointers to the table to read the table from the assigned portion of RAM, and revise the table in RAM based on input received from the engine sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Hondata, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Stevens
  • Patent number: 9347409
    Abstract: Proposed is a method for controlling and regulating an internal combustion engine (1) having a common rail system and having a passive pressure limiting valve (11) for discharging fuel out of a rail (6) into the fuel tank (2), in which method, in a first stage, the pressure limiting valve (11) is set as open when the rail pressure, proceeding from a steady-state rail pressure, exceeds a first threshold value and subsequently falls below a second threshold value within a first critical time, wherein the first threshold value characterizes a higher pressure level than the steady-state rail pressure and the second threshold value characterizes a lower pressure level than the first threshold value, and in which method the opening duration of the opened pressure limiting valve (11) is monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 9297330
    Abstract: An engine system is provided. The engine system includes an ambient condition module configured to generate a signal indicative of a state of ambient air. The engine system also includes an operational parameter sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of one or more operational parameters associated with the engine. The engine system further includes a controller communicably coupled to the ambient condition module and the operational parameter sensor. The controller is configured to receive the signal indicative of the pressure of ambient air and the signal indicative of the one or more operational parameters associated with the engine. The controller estimates the temperature of at least one of a valve, a piston, a liner, a cylinder head, and a pre-chamber of the engine as a function of the received signals and parameters associated with fuel delivery to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kenth Svensson, Carl Hergart, Chad Koci, Jason J. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9279380
    Abstract: An engine system is provided. The engine system includes an ambient air pressure sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of ambient air. The engine system also includes an operational parameter sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of one or more operational parameters associated with the engine. The engine system further includes a controller communicably coupled to the ambient air pressure sensor and the operational parameter sensor. The controller is configured to receive the signal indicative of the pressure of ambient air and the signal indicative of the one or more operational parameters associated with the engine. The controller estimates the temperature of at least one of a valve, a piston, a liner, a cylinder head, and a pre-chamber of the engine as a function of the received signals and parameters associated with fuel delivery in a single fuel cycle of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Carl A. Hergart, Jason J. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9249750
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a stop-start module and a fuel control module. The stop-start module stops an engine and thereby interrupts an engine cycle when a driver depresses a brake pedal while an ignition system is on and the engine is idling. The stop-start module restarts the engine when the driver releases the brake pedal. The fuel control module, when the engine is restarted, selectively injects fuel into a cylinder of the engine as the cylinder completes the interrupted engine cycle based on an amount of crankshaft rotation corresponding to a difference between a position of a piston in the cylinder when the piston is stopped and top dead center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Halim G. Santoso, James R. Yurgil, Stuart R. Smith, Robert Douglas Shafto
  • Patent number: 9140183
    Abstract: In a fuel injection controller that controls a fuel injection device that injects fuel directly into cylinders of an engine, a unit that detects an interference period gradually shifts an injection period of fuel from the fuel injector from a first period during which the injection period does not overlap with an initial value of the interference period, and is distant from the initial value by a given value or larger toward a second period during which the injection period overlaps with the initial value of the interference period. Then, the fuel injection controller detects an actual interference period according to a variation of an air-fuel ratio (A/F value) detected by an air-fuel ratio sensor toward lean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuta Hosaka, Kensuke Mizui, Mikio Teramura, Minoru Hozuka
  • Patent number: 9127612
    Abstract: A characteristics-detecting-portion analyzes a fuel injection condition based on a fuel pressure waveform which represents a variation in a detection value of the fuel pressure sensor and then detects the fuel-injection-characteristic value based on the analyzed fuel injection condition. The detected parameter is learned and stored in a memory in association with a fuel temperature detected by a fuel temperature sensor. A fuel-injection-rate model is established based on the learned detected parameters. A command-fuel-injection start time and a command-fuel-injection period are defined by use of the fuel-injection-rate model and the current fuel temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichiro Nakata, Koji Ishizuka
  • Publication number: 20150128912
    Abstract: A calculation control circuit unit 110A is provided with a microprocessor 111, an auxiliary control circuit unit 190A, and a high-speed A/D converter 115 to which the detection signals of excitation currents for electromagnetic coils 81 through 84 are inputted; based on an valve-opening command signal generated by the microprocessor 111 and excitation-current setting information, the auxiliary control circuit unit 190A opening/closing-controls power supply control opening/closing devices by use of a numeral value comparator and a dedicated circuit unit, and monitors and stores at least one of the peak value of a rapid excitation current and a peak current reaching time; the microprocessor 111 performs correction control with reference to the monitoring storage data, and implements fuel injection control while reducing a rapid control load on the microprocessor 111.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsunori NISHIDA, Osamu NISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 9027530
    Abstract: A method of calibration of at least one fuel injector for a fuel burner in an exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The method is adapted for an exhaust gas system having the fuel burner mounted upstream of a diesel particle filter (DPF). The method of calibration is performed during an idle speed of the combustion engine, this to assure a constant temperature of the burner during the calibration. Hence, the method is started when a first steady tempera tore is registered in the fuel burner, wherein the at least one fuel injector, is operated with a first pulse width. A first temperature of an exhaust gas is registered directly downstream of the fuel burner. After this first temperature is registered, the pulse width, of the fuel injector changed into a second pulse width, which is different from the first pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagner AB
    Inventor: Mats Moren