Controlling Fuel Quantity Patents (Class 701/104)
  • Publication number: 20120191323
    Abstract: An injector emulation device for incorporation into a multiple fuel engine control system including a first control device (4) configured to operate a plurality of fuel injectors (10) to inject a first fuel into selected cylinders (8) of the engine (6) when the system is operating on the first fuel only and a second control device (54) arranged to operate, instead of the first control device (4), said plurality of injectors (10) to inject said first fuel when the system operates in multifuel mode, said first control device being connected to an injector emulation device for operation during said multifuel mode. The injector emulation device includes an electrical load device (157) arranged to mimic the electrical load characteristic of the injector (10) being emulated and further including electronic means which mimic the inductance and flyback characteristics of the injector (10) being emulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: T Baden Hardstaff Ltd
    Inventors: Nick Warner, Trevor Fletcher
  • Patent number: 8229651
    Abstract: A fuel control system for a vehicle comprises a fuel delivery module, a torque ratio determination module, and a correction factor module. The fuel delivery module supplies first and second amounts of diesel fuel to a cylinder of an engine during first and second combustion cycles for the cylinder, respectively. The second combustion cycle occurs after the first combustion cycle. The torque ratio determination module determines a torque ratio based on torque output by the engine during the first combustion cycle and a torque requested for the first combustion cycle. The correction factor module determines a fuel correction factor based on the torque ratio and adjusts the second amount based on the fuel correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Lee C. Walker
  • Patent number: 8229650
    Abstract: An ECU controls to inject a small amount of fuel in an expansion/exhaust stroke under constraint of the minimum fuel injection capability of an injector at the time of warming-up of a catalyst. The ECU controls injection of fuel in expansion/exhaust strokes (expansion/exhaust stroke injection) at the time of warming-up of a catalyst. Fuel injection control is performed so that when temperature of the catalyst becomes higher than a predetermined temperature, fuel injection in the expansion/exhaust strokes is performed for a period of a predetermined ratio in a selected cycle period. The expansion/exhaust stroke injection is not performed in the other period. By effectively utilizing oxygen absorbed on the catalyst, while suppressing slip HC, the activation time of the catalyst can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Ikue Kawasumi
  • Publication number: 20120185156
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining an air-fuel ratio imbalance among cylinders based on an output value of an air-fuel ratio sensor, an imbalance determination parameter which becomes larger or smaller as a difference among air-fuel ratios becomes larger, and performs determining an air-fuel ratio imbalance among cylinders based on a result of a comparison between the imbalance determination parameter and a imbalance determination threshold. The determining apparatus calculates a purge correction coefficient which compensates for a change in the air-fuel ratio due to an evaporated fuel gas which is generated in a fuel tank, while the evaporated fuel gas is being introduced into an intake passage, and corrects a fuel injection amount with the purge correction coefficient FPG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Iwazaki, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Fumihiko Nakamura, Hiroshi Sawada, Toru Kidokoro
  • Publication number: 20120185155
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device (ECU) for controlling injection supply of fuel to an engine is applied to an injector that has a valve body formed with a fuel injection hole, a needle accommodated in the valve body for opening and closing the injection hole, and a piezoelectric element for driving the needle such that the needle reciprocates and that can continuously adjust an injection rate in accordance with an injection command signal to the piezoelectric element. The fuel injection control device senses a fuel pressure waveform indicating a transition of fuel pressure fluctuation accompanying a predetermined injection of the injector based on an output of a fuel pressure sensor and calculates an injection command signal for approximating a predetermined injection parameter concerning the predetermined injection to a reference value of the parameter based on the sensed fuel pressure waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichiro NAKATA, Koji ISHIZUKA
  • Publication number: 20120185154
    Abstract: A handheld work apparatus has a combustion engine with an ignition unit, a unit for supplying fuel and a device to determine the rotational speed (n). The ignition unit includes a spark plug, a coil and a pole group. The pole group and the coil are moved in dependence on the rotational movement of a crankshaft of the combustion engine, whereby a ignition voltage is induced in the coil. The work apparatus has an open loop control which controls the ignition time (ZZP). A diagnostic unit for damage diagnosis is detachably connected to the work apparatus. For damage diagnosis, the diagnostic unit captures the course of the induced ignition voltage over at least one engine cycle when the combustion engine is running and damage is determined on the basis of the course of the captured voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Böker, Karsten Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8224554
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is provided which has a fuel supply path and a nozzle chamber. The fuel supply path extends a spray hole. The nozzle chamber is defined in the fuel supply path. A nozzle is disposed within the nozzle chamber to establish or block a fluid communication between the fuel supply path and the spray hole. A fuel pressure sensor is installed in the fuel injector so as to be exposed to the fuel in the nozzle chamber. Specifically, the fuel pressure sensor is located closer to the spray hole than a prior art structure in which the fuel pressure sensor is installed in a fuel supply pipe, thus resulting in increased accuracy in measuring a change in pressure of the fuel arising from the spraying of the fuel from the spray hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Kondo, Tooru Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8224555
    Abstract: In an in-cylinder injection type spark ignition internal combustion engine in which the intake air amount is controlled by use of an intake valve or an exhaust valve, which is provided with mainly a variable valve mechanism, instable combustion during a low-load operation is avoided without an increase in pumping loss (without a decrease in the thermal efficiency). In the in-cylinder injection type spark ignition internal combustion engine, during low-load operation, on the basis of the cooling water temperature of the engine the opening and closing timing of the intake valve is controlled in a retard angle manner and the opening and closing timing of the exhaust valve is controlled in an advance angle manner. Furthermore, the fuel injection timing is controlled in a retard angle manner on the basis of the retard angle amount of the intake valve opening and closing timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Kumano, Yoshihiro Sukegawa, Shiro Yamaoka
  • Publication number: 20120179356
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a control device for a turbocharged engine capable of accurately estimating the revolution speed of a turbine without using additional components for directly detecting the turbine revolution speed, and by accurately estimating the turbine revolution speed, capable of accurately keeping the turbine revolution speed at an allowed value or below and preventing excessive rotation. The control device for a turbocharged engine includes a turbocharger having a compressor disposed in an intake passage of an engine, and a turbine disposed in an exhaust passage of the engine, a fuel injection amount control unit for controlling a fuel injection amount to the engine according to an operating state of the engine, and a turbine revolution speed estimation unit for determining by calculations an estimated value of a revolution speed of the turbine from the operating state of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Tomohide Yamada
  • Patent number: 8214131
    Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine with a common-rail system, in which a fuel quantity is computed from a measured fuel pressure distribution and in which the computed fuel quantity is set as the controlling value for controlling an injection. The fuel quantity is computed by measuring the pressure distribution (pE) of an individual accumulator, reproducing a modeled pressure distribution (pEMOD) according to the measured pressure distribution (pE) using a hydraulic model, and computing the fuel quantity from the hydraulic model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Albert Kloos, Andreas Kunz, Günther Schmidt, Ralf Speetzen, Michael Willmann
  • Patent number: 8214133
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a parallel computation unit including an input port and an output port and a one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model. The input port is configured to sample at a time t1 a boundary condition signal for the one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model and the output port is configured to provide an output signal before the boundary condition signal is sampled at a time t2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Colorado State University Research Foundation
    Inventor: Matthew Viele
  • Patent number: 8214130
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20120166066
    Abstract: A control system (12) for an engine (10) having a combustion chamber (22) is disclosed. The control system may have a fuel injector (40) configured to selectively inject fuel into the combustion chamber, and a controller (54) in communication with the fuel injector. The controller may be configured to activate the fuel injector during a first compression stroke to initiate fuel injection in an amount and at a timing that results in a stratified lean air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber during a first combustion event of a six- stroke cycle. The controller may also be configured to activate the fuel injector during a first power stroke to initiate fuel injection in an amount and at a timing that results in a homogenous lean air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber during a second combustion event of the same six-stroke cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Scott B. Fiveland, William H. Lane
  • Publication number: 20120166068
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control system of an internal combustion engine comprises a fuel amount determiner for determining a fuel command value. The fuel amount determiner has a feedback control mode in which the fuel amount determiner determines a running state reference coefficient corresponding to a running state detected by a running state detector based on a first correspondence stored in the memory, determines a running state compensation coefficient corresponding to the running state detected by the running state detector based on a second correspondence stored in the memory, determines a feedback compensation coefficient used to cause an air-fuel ratio to reach a value closer to a theoretical air-fuel ratio based on an output of the air-fuel ratio sensor, and determines the fuel command value using a formula including the determined running state reference coefficient, the determined running state compensation coefficient, and the determined feedback compensation coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Kuratani, Tsuyoshi Takeuchi, Kozo Suzuki, Takashi Abe, Yoshinobu Mori, Daisuke Yanase
  • Publication number: 20120166067
    Abstract: A method for determining injected fuel mass delivered from an electromagnetic solenoid-activated fuel injector during a fuel injection event includes determining a sensed injection duration and a maximum injection mass flowrate during the fuel injection event, and determining the injected fuel mass for the fuel injection event based on the sensed injection duration and the maximum injection mass flowrate during the fuel injection event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Scott E. Parrish, Ronald J. Zink, Paul M. Najt
  • Patent number: 8209108
    Abstract: This device is applied to an internal combustion engine that has a fuel injection valve for injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber, a supercharger and an exhaust purification device. As a fuel injection from the fuel injection valve, a post-injection is executed separately from the fuel injection for torque generation. The device includes an air amount sensor provided on the intake passageway upstream of the supercharger, and a pressure sensor provided on the intake passageway downstream of the supercharger. A correction term is calculated based on the rate of change of the air pressure detected by the pressure sensor. An upper-limit injection amount is set based on the engine rotation speed, the passageway air amount detected by the air amount sensor, the correction term and a main injection amount. Using the upper-limit injection amount, a target post-injection amount is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Otsubo, Masanobu Katayama
  • Patent number: 8209107
    Abstract: An electric motor for a fuel pump is provided with a shutdown switch positioned intermediate an inverter, and its control coil. In this location, the shutdown function can be achieved without heavy components. In another feature, when the fuel pump is shut down, a signal is sent upstream to a voltage regulator associated with a generator, such that the voltage supplied downstream by the generator can be reduced to eliminate any potential voltage spike due to the shutdown of the electric motor. The electric motor with shutdown switch enables low weight fault tolerant flux regulated machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Jacek F. Gieras
  • Patent number: 8209106
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that accurately incorporates demands related to various capabilities of the internal combustion engine. A demand output unit outputs various capability demands of the internal combustion engine, expressed in terms of either torque, efficiency, or an air-fuel ratio data. A torque mediation unit collects only the demand values expressed in terms of torque, and mediates the torque demand values into one. An efficiency mediation unit collects the demand values expressed in terms of efficiency and mediates the efficiency demand values into one. An air-fuel ratio mediation unit collects the demand values expressed in terms of the air-fuel ratio and mediates the air-fuel ratio demand values into one. A control variable computing unit computes control variables of actuators, based upon the torque demand value, efficiency demand value, and air-fuel ratio demand value output from the mediation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaoru Ohtsuka, Shinichi Soejima, Naoto Kato, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Hayato Nakada, Keisuke Kawai
  • Publication number: 20120158270
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes an active fuel management (AFM) module, an expected engine speed determination module, and a disabling module. The AFM module selectively cuts off fuel to at least one cylinder of an engine and maintains valves of the at least one cylinder in closed positions. The expected engine speed determination module determines an expected engine speed based on a position of a shift lever of a manual transmission measured using a position sensor module. The disabling module selectively disables. the AFM module based on the expected engine speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Bradford W. Bur, William L. Cousins
  • Publication number: 20120158271
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular, of a motor vehicle. The internal combustion engine includes an injector having a nozzle needle for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, as well as an output stage component. A desired signal is specified for a lift characteristic of the nozzle needle. The injector is activated by the output stage component. A lift signal is ascertained that corresponds to the actual lift characteristic of the nozzle needle. An actual signal is ascertained from the lift signal. A deviation signal is ascertained in response to a deviation of the actual signal from the desired signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Klaus Joos, Werner Hess, Holger Rapp, Haris Hamedovic, Harry Friedmann, Andreas Koch, Ruben Schlueter, Christoph Heisen, Christian Reschke, Joerg Koenig, Stephanie Wirth, Achim Hirchenhein
  • Publication number: 20120158272
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel usage while addressing knock by adjusting the use of spark retard and direct injection of a knock control fluid based on engine operating conditions and the composition of the injected fluid. One or more engine parameters, such as EGR, VCT, boost, throttle position, and CMCV, are coordinated with the direct injection to reduce torque and EGR transients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, John Nelson, Thomas G. Leone, Michael Howard Shelby, James Eric Anderson
  • Publication number: 20120150417
    Abstract: A method is provided for diagnosing a clogging of an injector in an internal combustion engine equipped with a fuel rail and with a plurality of fuel injectors hydraulically connected to the fuel rail. The method includes, but is not limited to determining a value of a pressure drop in the fuel rail due to a quantity of fuel injected by a tested injector, and diagnosing the clogging of the tested injector if the determined pressure drop value is lower than a threshold value of this pressure drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Antonio MASSARO
  • Publication number: 20120150416
    Abstract: Even if the engine structure is not capable of continuous operation in the vicinity of stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, this engine is in the stoichiometric combustion region when condition such as low load and stable engine rotation is met, and the feedback control using the O2 sensor, although temporary, becomes possible. Therefore, the air-fuel ratio control system performs this feedback, and derives and sets the constant value for correction to attain the air-fuel ratio suited to the engine. Thereafter, the optimal air-fuel ratio is controlled at the normal control mode just by correcting the fuel injection quantity using the constant value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: NIKKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Murakami
  • Publication number: 20120150419
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for controlling fuel injection of a dual fuel engine which includes first and second fuel rails and first and second fuel pumps. In one example, while pumping is suspended in the second fuel rail, the first fuel is injected to all but one cylinder of the engine and the second fuel is injected to the one cylinder in a predetermined sequence. As such, the fuel injector injecting to the one cylinder is isolated and its performance may be assessed without significantly affecting engine performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20120150420
    Abstract: Various methods are described for controlling engine operation for an engine having a turbocharger and direct injection. One example method includes performing a first and second injection during a cylinder cycle, the first injection generating a lean combustion and the second injection exiting the cylinder unburned into the exhaust upstream of a turbine of the turbocharger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias John Pallett, Eric Matthew Storhok, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Publication number: 20120150418
    Abstract: A method of controlling fuel injection of a bi-fuel vehicle running on gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and more particularly, a method of controlling fuel injection of a bi-fuel vehicle having an engine running on gasoline and LPG, capable of simultaneously controlling supply systems and injectors of fuels and switching the fuels in response to a fuel switch request based on an injection ratio and an injection time of each fuel is provided. Thus, fuels may be switched stably and efficiently, output reduction and exhaust gas increase due to deviation of an air-fuel ratio while switching fuels may be prevented, and fuels may be appropriately switched. Furthermore, mechanical stress generated while switching fuels may be minimized and stable driving may be provided. Accordingly, the reliability of a bi-fuel vehicle simultaneously using gasoline and LPG may be improved and the competitiveness of bi-fuel vehicle products may also be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: KEFICO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Byung Chun Jeon, Hu Rak Choi, Ji Won Kang
  • Patent number: 8200412
    Abstract: When a coolant temperature is abnormal and alcohol concentration of a main fuel detected by an alcohol concentration sensor is in a high concentration region, an auxiliary fuel supply is conducted. Thus, when the actual coolant temperature is in a low temperature region and an alcohol concentration of the main fuel is in a high concentration region, that is, when a volatility of the main fuel is not sufficient, the auxiliary fuel supply is certainly conducted. Furthermore, when the coolant temperature sensor is abnormal, the pseudo coolant temperature is set lower than the standard coolant temperature. A warming increase coefficient is computed by use of the pseudo coolant temperature. Thereby, the main fuel injection quantity is increased sufficiently when the actual coolant temperature is in a low temperature region and the alcohol concentration of the main fuel is in high concentration region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Nagasaki, Koji Wada
  • Patent number: 8200415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the operating mode of an internal combustion engine (1) comprising several cylinders (3) and an injection system (4) with one injection unit (5) per cylinder (3). According to said method: a digital measuring signal, which characterizes the combustion of fuel (6) in the internal combustion engine (1), is first determined; said digital measuring signal is then transformed into a frequency range; a misfiring of the ignition is detected using the amplitude information of the transformed measuring signal and if a misfiring has occurred, the injection of the individual cylinders (3) is deactivated sequentially for a predefined period and for each cylinder the corresponding digital measuring signal that characterizes said cylinder is determined and transformed into the frequency range and a misfiring cylinder (3) is identified during the evaluation of the transformed measuring signal using the amplitude information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhold Hagel, Mehmet Tuna, Emmanuel Routier, Kayhan Goeney
  • Publication number: 20120143478
    Abstract: It is possible to ensure good starting performance and operability of an engine, reduce starting time with improved combustion stability, and improve noise vibration harshness (NVH), regardless of whether the engine is started at low temperature even if a high-pressure fuel pump in a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine breaks, without using an additional dedicated device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Wanho Kim
  • Publication number: 20120143479
    Abstract: During high-load operation of an engine, fuel for initial slow-burning combustion and premixed combustion is injected into a combustion chamber by continuous fuel injection, then fuel injection is paused, and fuel for diffusion combustion is injected after a predetermined interval has elapsed. Also, the fuel injection amount in the continuous fuel injection is set higher than the fuel injection amount for diffusion combustion. A spray autointerference cooling effect is achieved by the continuous fuel injection, thus promoting ignition delay so as to increase the proportion of premixed combustion, thereby suppressing the production of smoke. This enables high-volume EGR to be performed, thus enabling reducing the amount of NOx produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Nada
  • Patent number: 8195378
    Abstract: A method is disclosed including operations to interpret an engine load level for a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine. In response to determining the engine load level is less than 40% of a maximum engine load level, the method further includes operations to performing a first fuel injection event including less than 25% of a combustion fuel amount, the first fuel injection event occurring before 10 degrees after top dead center (TDC), to perform a second fuel injection event including between 15% and 65% of the combustion fuel amount, the second fuel injection event occurring after 10 degrees after TDC, and to perform third fuel injection event comprising between 10% and 85% of the combustion fuel amount, the third fuel injection event occurring before 63 degrees after TDC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Linsong Guo, Tim R. Frazier
  • Patent number: 8195379
    Abstract: A method for adjusting fuel injection quantities in an internal combustion engine configured to operate multi-pulse fuel injections in a cylinder of the engine includes monitoring in-cylinder pressure, determining a burnt fuel mass for main combustion based upon the in-cylinder pressure, determining a burnt fuel mass for post combustion based upon the in-cylinder pressure, determining a main fuel quantity offset based upon the burnt fuel mass for main combustion, determining a post fuel quantity offset based upon the burnt fuel mass for post combustion, and controlling fuel injections into the cylinder based upon the main fuel quantity offset and the post fuel quantity offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Haskara, Yue-Yun Wang, Chol-Bum M. Kweon, Frederic Anton Matekunas, Oguz H. Dagci
  • Publication number: 20120136555
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel injection control apparatus for an in-cylinder injection internal combustion engine that limits increases in the amount of discharged PMs and the amount of oil dilution when a demanded amount of injection is changed while divisional injection is being performed. The control apparatus is provided for an internal combustion engine having a fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, a fuel pump for feeding fuel to the fuel injection valve by pressuring the fuel, and a fuel storage chamber storing fuel to be supplied to the fuel injection valve. In the engine, divisional injection control including a plurality of fuel injections executed in one cycle is performed. When a demand for making a change in the amount of fuel supplied per cycle occurs, changes in the amount of fuel injection are made according to injection times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi OKAMOTO, Tetsuo Matsumura, Yoshinobu Arihara
  • Publication number: 20120136554
    Abstract: A control method of restarting an engine of an AT ISG vehicle may include a first step of restarting the engine when a state of the vehicle satisfies a restart condition after an idle-stop, a second step of keeping a throttle valve constant at a first critical value or less when a positional value of an acceleration pedal may be equal to a second critical value or more after the first step, and a third step of opening a throttle valve until the positional value of the acceleration pedal detected by the acceleration pedal position sensor and a positional value of the throttle valve detected by a throttle valve position sensor may be matched after a critical time passes, a shifting may be completed after the restarting, or when the acceleration pedal may be pressed down less than at the second critical value after the first step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jiyong YU, Sejun Kim, Chongah Gwon, Junghwan Bang
  • Publication number: 20120136556
    Abstract: A method of selecting between two operation modes in a dual fuel internal combustion engine of the diesel-type is provided. The engine includes a combustion chamber at least partly delimited by a piston, a first fuel supply for a first fuel, the first fuel supply being located in or at the combustion chamber and/or in or at an inlet port thereof, and a second fuel supply for a second fuel. The engine has two different operation modes, both operation modes including the steps of pre-mixing the first fuel in the combustion chamber and/or in the inlet port, compressing the charge containing the first fuel to conditions that allow auto-ignition of the second fuel, performing a first injection of the second fuel into the combustion chamber to initiate auto-ignition of the second fuel, thereby initiating conditions for combustion of the fuel remaining in the combustion chamber after auto-ignition of the second fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Volvo Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Ingemar Magnusson
  • Patent number: 8190351
    Abstract: Disclosed is a diagnostic control apparatus for internal combustion engines capable of accurately diagnosing the presence and extent of air/fuel ratio variations in engine cylinders, even when the system has no part for detecting the air/fuel ratio in each cylinder. The diagnostic control apparatus measures the time required for the crankshaft to rotate to a specified angle for each cylinder; and based on this measured, required time, derives the 0.5 order component as the rotation fluctuation component for each two rotations of the crankshaft per each cylinder or the 1.0 order component as the rotation fluctuation component for each single rotation of the crankshaft; and also counts the number of times the 0.5 order component or 1.0 order component deviates from the preset range in the period set for each cylinder, and diagnoses an error in the output or in the air/fuel ratio for a particular cylinder when that count value exceeds a specified value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eisaku Fukuchi, Akihito Numata, Heikichi Kamoshita
  • Publication number: 20120130621
    Abstract: Engine surge includes oscillations in engine torque resulting in bucking or jerking motion of a vehicle that may degrade driver experience. The present application relates to increasing reformate entering an example engine cylinder in response to engine surge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas G. Leone
  • Publication number: 20120130622
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device provided with: a standard fuel injection timing setting unit 41 which previously sets a standard fuel injection timing with respect to engine speed and fuel injection quantity; an injection penetration judging unit 45 which judges whether or not the penetration of the fuel atomization in a cylinder is in an increasing condition, by use of at least one out of a detected ambient pressure from an ambient pressure sensor, an estimated cylinder pressure at an injection start timing, and an estimated ignition delay from an injection start timing to a combustion start timing; and a fuel injection timing correction unit 43 which corrects the fuel injection timing toward an advanced timing angle and constrains the penetration of the fuel atomization, in a case where the penetration judging unit judges that the penetration of the fuel atomization is in an increasing condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Satoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8180556
    Abstract: A system for supply of LPG/ammonia for direct-injection petrol or diesel engine includes an electronic control unit where the control unit governs a petrol/diesel pump, a supplementary petrol/diesel pump, a petrol/diesel-delivery solenoid vale, LPG/ammonia-return solenoid valve, LPG/ammonia pump, a supplementary LPG/ammonia pump, a LPG/ammonia-delivery solenoid vale and a LPG/ammonia injector, such that only one of LPG/ammonia and petrol/diesel is fed to the engine at any point in time, and a combination of i) LPG and petrol, ii) LPG and diesel, iii) ammonia and petrol, and iv) ammonia and diesel is never fed to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Icomet SpA
    Inventor: Luciano Cippitani
  • Patent number: 8180555
    Abstract: A method of determining a pressure at a dosing valve of a fuel metering device for metering fuel into an exhaust gas system of a combustion engine with a component of the combustion engine assigned to an exhaust gas system for a regeneration, a temperature impingement and/or a thermo management. The fuel is injected in a flow direction of the exhaust gas in front of the component, and metering of the fuel is determined by an injection valve from a cycle duration and a duty cycle relation for controlling a shut-off valve and the dosing valve depending on a difference pressure. The method includes determining a pressure before the dosing valve via acquisition and processing of at least one replacement value deduced from a pressure sensor signal of a pressure sensor arranged in a flow direction of the fuel behind the dosing valve for recording a measured pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Damian Dyrbusch, Angelo Mazzon
  • Patent number: 8180554
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of methods and devices for reducing the difference between normalized air-fuel ratio of the various cylinders compared with a predetermined value between 0.7 and 1.1, of the normalized air-fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine. The method and devices utilize the signal of the ionization current produced by a suitable device, modifying the quantity of fuel on the basis of the signal determined by means of the method in question in the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Eldor Corporation S.p.A.
    Inventors: Pasquale Forte, Stefano Bordegnoni, Andrea Gelmetti
  • Publication number: 20120116655
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling exhaust emissions by adjusting a fuel injection into an engine cylinder from a plurality of fuel injectors based on the fuel type of the injected fuel and further based on the soot load of the engine. Soot generated from direct fuel injection is reduced by decreasing an amount of direct injection into a cylinder as the engine soot load increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Karl Bidner, Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Stephen G. Russ, James Hilditch, John Eric Rollinger
  • Publication number: 20120116654
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for an internal combustion engine capable of, in a case where fuel is injected from an injector for a plurality of times in a divided manner based on an operation status of the internal combustion engine, controlling an injection quantity of the injector accurately in light of variation in an injection quantity of the injector based on air-fuel ratio accuracy, while preventing performance deterioration of the internal combustion engine caused by the injection of fuel. An internal combustion engine control system of the present invention includes an injector for making a valve operate and injecting fuel by applying an excitation current to a coil and injecting fuel into a combustion chamber directly in a manner dividing into a plurality of times of fuel injection, the internal combustion engine control system includes means for determining invalid and valid pulse widths of the injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Yoshihisa Fujii
  • Patent number: 8175790
    Abstract: A machine (100) has an internal combustion engine (104) operating in response to a control signal provided by an engine governor (216). The engine (104) provides a torque output to a machine system providing a machine function. An electronic controller (214) determines a current operating state of the engine (104) and a torque utilization of the machine system, and compares the current operating state of the engine (104) with the torque utilization in an engine droop function (302). A change to an engine speed (308) setting of the engine (104) is instructed in response to a change in the torque signal. Such change is to increase the engine speed (308) setting when the torque utilization is increasing, and to decrease the engine speed (308) setting when the torque utilization is decreasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Eric D. Stemler, Matthew Mowers, Evan E. Jacobson
  • Patent number: 8175789
    Abstract: As a compression-ignition direct-injection engine combustion controller, a program for detecting ignition timing of a main injection Mn (main ignition timing), a program for correcting a command value of main injection execution timing in a direction to the side where a detection value is converged within a predetermined range, a program for determining whether or not the corrected command value is within a predetermined range, and a program for, when it is determined that the command value is not within the range, correcting a command value related to an injection amount of a pilot injection Pt based on whether or not the command value is on a delay side or an advance side of the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akikazu Kojima, Hiroshi Haraguchi, Youhei Morimoto, Tokuji Kuronita, Satoru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8170773
    Abstract: For the direct re-entry in the CAI operating mode following a pull fuel cut off phase the CAI specific valve lift is maintained during its pull fuel cut off phase. Upon a request signal for the CAI re-entry after the closing time of the particular cylinder, an advance fuel injection quantity is injected in the combustion chamber and externally ignited and combusted in the following CAI interim compression phase of the exhaust stroke, as a result of which hot exhaust gas is formed in the combustion chamber, fresh air is drawn into the combustion chamber during the following intake stroke, a main fuel injection quantity is injected in a main compression phase during the following compression stroke, and the exhaust gas content brought about from the earlier auxiliary fuel injection, is mixed with the air-fuel mixture newly introduced for the main ignition to form a self-ignitable, homogenous fresh air-exhaust gas-fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Bauer, Dietmar Ellmer
  • Patent number: 8170774
    Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling the normalized air-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine, otherwise known, in technical terms, as Lambda. The present invention is based on the use of the ionization current released by a device positioned on each cylinder of the engine. This ionization current is measured by a Control Unit equipped with a low-pass filter and electronic means which implement the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Eldor Corporation S.p.A.
    Inventors: Pasquale Forte, Stefano Bordegnoni, Andrea Gelmetti
  • Patent number: 8165783
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the injection amount for an injector on an internal combustion engine, dependent on a given time period and the duration of the hold phase, the energy stored in the injector is calculated either with a correction value or with the voltage and charge values at the end of the hold phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Gabriel Marzahn
  • Patent number: 8161931
    Abstract: In a method for operating an internal combustion engine that has a starter device for starting the internal combustion engine and a device for supplying fuel controlled by a control device, it is determined whether cold start conditions or hot start conditions exist during starting of the internal combustion engine. In at least one operating range, during starting of the internal combustion engine, an engine speed gradient is determined during a slowdown phase of a pull stroke of a starter device and the engine speed gradient is used for determining whether cold start conditions or hot start conditions exist. The fuel quantity to be supplied to the internal combustion engine is controlled based on the determined cold start conditions or hot start conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Geyer
  • Patent number: 8165782
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel saving apparatus that provides information, such as vehicle speed, a fuel injection period, fuel efficiency and engine load, to a driver in real time, thereby enabling the driver to develop economic driving and economical driving habits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mosomoto Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung Hyun Jeong