Abstract: An air-fuel ratio deviation calculated by an air-fuel ratio deviation calculation part is inputted to a cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio estimation part. A cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio is estimated in the cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio estimation part. In the cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio estimation part, attention is paid to gas exchange in an exhaust collective part of an exhaust manifold, and a model is created. In this model, a detection value of an A/F sensor is obtained by multiplying histories of the cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio of an inflow gas in the exhaust collective part and histories of the detection value of the A/F sensor by specified weights respectively and by adding them. The cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio is estimated on the basis of the model.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for computer controlled fuel injection into a vehicle engine under conditions where the vehicle is starting from cold or being restarted after a short period of being shut off. The method utilizes the value of conductance measured at an air/fuel sensor heater and t least one other engine parameter to determine the correct amount of fuel to be injected into the engine to accomplish efficient combustion. The computer controller adjusts the amount of fuel to be delivered from the fuel injector into the engine based on the value of conductance.

Abstract: A target value Vtgt for an output Vout of an O2 sensor 8 (an exhaust gas sensor) disposed downstream of a catalytic converter 4 is set variably depending on a temperature TO2 of an active element 10 of the O2 sensor 8 by a target value setting unit 18, and the air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas is controlled by an air-fuel ratio control unit 17 to converge the output Vout to the target value Vtgt. An exhaust gas temperature Tgd is estimated by an exhaust temperature observer 19, and the temperature TO2 of the active element 10 is sequentially estimated by an element temperature observer 20 using the estimated value of the exhaust gas temperature Tgd. A heater 13 of the O2 sensor 8 is controlled by a heater controller 22 to keep the temperature TO2 of the active element 10 at a predetermined target value R. The air-fuel ratio is thus controlled to maintain a desired exhaust gas purifying capability of the catalytic converter irrespective of the temperature of the active element of the exhaust gas sensor.

Abstract: An engine air-fuel ratio control system uses a rich air-fuel ratio immediately after starting an engine to converge rapidly the air-fuel ratio toward a stoichiometric value. Upon determining an air-fuel ratio sensor is active, a stabilization fuel quantity increasing factor of a target air-fuel ratio revising coefficient decreases at a higher rate than before the air-fuel ratio sensor was active. Air-fuel ratio feedback control starts when the air-fuel ratio corresponds to a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. Afterwards, when either air-fuel ratio feedback control starts or the engine enters a high rotational speed/high load region that operates using a rich air-fuel ratio, whichever occurs first, an unburned fuel quantity compensating value is set based on the stabilization fuel quantity increasing factor in effect at that point in time and added to the target air-fuel ratio revising coefficient while, simultaneously, the stabilization fuel quantity increasing factor is set to zero.

Abstract: A method of non-intrusive monitoring of catalyst performance in an automotive exhaust system uses a model of catalytic converter operation emphasizing oxygen storage capacity dominance. Model parameters are identified using a recursive Kalman filtering technique. A catalyst diagnostic index is derived from at least one identified parameter, and the index is used to judge converter performance.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio detected by an air-fuel ratio sensor is periodically varied by executing a PI control. During the PI control, a time period in which the detected air-fuel ratio passes through a predetermined rich-side range is defined as a rich-side time constant, and a time period in which the detected air fuel ratio passes through a predetermined lean-side range is defined as a lean-side time constant. A rich-side time delay represents a time period in which an air-fuel correction amount is increasingly corrected to exceed a rich-side threshold, and a lean-side time delay represents a time period in which the air-fuel correction amount is decreasingly corrected to exceed a lean-side threshold. These time constants and time delays are compared with a determining value to diagnose degradation of an air-fuel ratio sensor.

Abstract: An exhaust purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a catalyst unit disposed in an exhaust passage of the engine, upstream and downstream air-fuel-ratio sensors disposed upstream and downstream, respectively, of the catalyst unit, a main-feedback controller, and a sub-feedback controller. The main-feedback controller calculates a main-feedback control quantity on the basis of an output value of the upstream air-fuel-ratio sensor and a predetermined upstream-side target value, and corrects, on the basis of the main-feedback control quantity, the quantity of fuel injected by an fuel injector.

Abstract: A vehicle with a two-stroke engine includes a system for rapidly heating an exhaust pipe. The system may include a heating mode signal generator, a sensor, and a controller. Activation of the signal generator signals the controller, which, in turn, determines whether the engine RPM falls in a range such that the vehicle remains stationary. The controller may then set the engine ignition timing to a heating mode range that rapidly heats the exhaust pipe system. The ignition timing may be after top dead center in the heating mode. A method of rapidly heating an exhaust pipe is also disclosed.

Abstract: An engine misfire detection system includes a database of engine fingerprints, each fingerprint corresponding to a known misfire condition. A technician uses software to compare the fingerprints in the database to an engine with a combustion inefficiency to determine which cylinder in the engine has the combustion inefficiency. The fingerprints are generated by evaluating an output from a lambda sensor and a timing reference. An alternate embodiment associates oxygen sensors with each of the cylinders in the engine and infers combustion inefficiency when a given sensor detects a peak in the amount of oxygen.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a plurality of control-coupled charge-handling actuators for an internal combustion engine has a multivariable controller responsive to a plurality of engine parameter inputs and effective to provide a plurality of position control signals to the charge handling actuators. Coupling effects of the charge-handling actuator are effectively addressed by the present multivariable control leading to substantial improvements in engine emissions particularly during transient operating conditions.

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

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of quickly and properly eliminating variation in air-fuel ratio between a plurality of cylinders. The air-fuel ratio control system 1 controls the amount of fuel to be supplied to first to fourth cylinders #1 to #4, on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis, thereby controlling the air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to each of the cylinders. A LAF sensor 14 delivers to an ECU 2 an output KACT indicative of the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gases emitted from the cylinders and merged. A cycle filter 23a and a rotation filter 23b filters the output KACT from the LAF sensor 14 such that components in respective bands of a first frequency fr1 and a second frequency fr2 are allowed to pass therethrough.

Abstract: A method of regulating or controlling a cyclically operating internal combustion engine using a computation model by which the cycle or portions of the cycle of the internal combustion engine is, or are, divided into individual parts and the operating condition within each cycle part is determined using measured values, stored and/or applied data in order to obtain actuating variables for operating the internal combustion engine. The time limits of the cycle parts are at least partially calculated as a function of at least one variable engine operating parameter. The operating status of an internal combustion engine can thus be determined readily and quickly while still with sufficient accuracy so as to obtain actuating variables suited for regulating or controlling the internal combustion engine using electronic control units available for series operation.

Abstract: In a method for determining the charge of an activated carbon container of a tank venting system of a gasoline engine on the basis of the thermal influence of the tank venting system on the exhaust gas of the engine, an exhaust gas temperature measured downstream of a catalytic converter of the engine with the tank venting system activated is compared with a calculated or measured exhaust gas temperature obtained for the same location with the tank venting system inactivated and divided by the exhaust gas temperature measured with the tank venting system activated so as to obtain a temperature quotient on the basis of which the charge of the carbon container is determined.

Abstract: A method of resetting an active emissions system error indictor associated with a vehicle. The method comprises performing a first requesting step and a second requesting step until the active emissions system error indicator resets in response to the first or second requesting steps. In one embodiment, the first requesting step comprises requesting a first type of information (e.g., information from a first vehicle oxygen sensor) from a vehicle computer associated with the vehicle, and the second requesting step comprises requesting a second type of information (e.g., information from a second vehicle oxygen sensor) from the vehicle computer. In a particular embodiment of the invention, an electronic tool, such as a bi-directional scan tool, is used to perform the first and second requesting steps.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine for low emissions include an inner feedback control loop to control the engine fuel/air ratio with feedback provided by a first exhaust gas sensor and an outer feedback control loop that modifies the fuel/air ratio reference provided to the inner feedback control loop based on feedback signals provided by the first exhaust gas sensor and a second exhaust gas sensor. The fuel/air ratio reference signal controller adapts to the oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst by modeling the catalyst as an integrator with an unknown gain and estimating the catalyst gain based on the first and second exhaust gas sensor signals. Using the estimated catalyst gain, an adaptive controller gain factor is determined and subsequently used to determine the fuel/air ratio reference signal provided to the fuel/air ratio controller of the inner feedback control loop.

Abstract: A fuel properties estimating apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a controller. The controller is configured to determine an estimated component concentration of a component, such as alcohol, in a fuel for the engine in accordance with an actual air fuel ratio of the engine, and to perform a plurality of estimating operations to determine the estimated component concentration at predetermined timings after an engine start of the engine.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine provided with a variable valve mechanism that variably controls at least an operating characteristic (valve lift amount and the like) of an intake valve, a valve opening area AWm at a valve overlap time is calculated based on a valve lift amount (VCS-ANGL) and opening timing IVO of the intake valve, and a spit-back gas amount Wm at the valve overlap time is calculated based on the valve opening area AWm. On the other hand, a volume flow ratio (basic actual engine volume flow ratio) RQH0VEL1 in the intake valve, equivalent to an actual intake air amount of the engine, is calculated based on the valve lift amount and closing timing of the intake valve, and a basic residual gas amount Wcyl is calculated based on the basic actual engine volume flow ratio RQH0VEL1. Then, a resultant obtained by adding the spit-back gas amount Wm and the basic residual gas amount Wcyl, is set as a total residual gas amount of the engine.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for a multiple cylinder engine, having catalytic converters and air-fuel ratio sensors in an exhaust manifold, comprises exhaust air-fuel ratio variation determining means which determines a variation in exhaust air-fuel ratio between one cylinder and other cylinders in one cylinder group when an exhaust air-fuel ratio on one of the rich side and the lean side with respect to a predetermined value is detected as to the one cylinder twice in succession, an exhaust air-fuel ratio on the other one of the rich side and the lean side from the exhaust air-fuel ratio of the one cylinder, and combustion air-fuel ratio control means which feedback-compensates the quantity of fuel injected into the one cylinder, and feedback-compensated the quantity of fuel injected into the other cylinder in a direction opposite to the direction in which the quantity of fuel injected into the one cylinder is compensated.

Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus and an exhaust gas purification method are for an internal combustion engine provided with a first catalyst portion disposed in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, and a second catalyst portion disposed in the exhaust passage downstream of the first catalyst portion. A value that changes according to at least an amount of oxygen stored in the first catalyst portion is obtained as an obtained value. An air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is controlled such that the obtained value matches a target value. A value that changes according to at least an amount of oxygen stored in the second catalyst portion is calculated as a calculated value, based on at least a state of exhaust gas flowing into the second catalyst portion. The target value is changed according to the calculated value.

Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for eliminating a slippage in control timing between the input/output of a controlled object, even when the control object exhibits a relatively large dynamic characteristic such as a phase delay, a dead time, or the like, to improve the stability and the controllability of the control. The control apparatus comprises a state predictor for calculating a predicted value of a value indicative of an output of a controlled object based on a prediction algorithm, and a DSM controller for calculating a control input to the controlled object based on one modulation algorithm selected from a ? modulation algorithm, a ?? modulation algorithm, and a ?? modulation algorithm for controlling the output of the controlled object in accordance with the calculated predicted value.

Abstract: When an internal combustion engine is in a low load and low rotation operation, and also an elapsed time after the starting of engine operation is less than a predetermined period of time, a heater heating an air-fuel ratio sensor is turned OFF, to stop an air-fuel ratio feedback control. When the internal combustion engine is in the low load and low rotation operation after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, a low voltage is applied to the heater and also a gain is lowered, to perform the air-fuel ratio feedback control.

Abstract: Fuel properties estimating apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a controller to determine an estimated component concentration of a component in a fuel. The controller calculates an air-fuel correction quantity in accordance with an actual air fuel ratio of the engine; and calculates an air-fuel ratio sensitivity correction quantity from the air-fuel ratio correction quantity and a fuel properties correction quantity calculated from a most recent value of the component concentration. The controller then determines a new value of the estimated component concentration in accordance with the air-fuel ratio sensitivity correction quantity.

Abstract: An exhaust-gas cleaning system for an internal-combustion engine has an exhaust-gas cleaning element, a first exhaust-gas sensor located upstream from the exhaust-gas cleaning element, and a control unit with an input connected to a first exhaust-gas sensor. The output of the control unit is connected to an engine management system for controlling the composition of the mixture in the internal-combustion engine as a function of the exhaust-gas composition that is measured by the first exhaust-gas sensor. A second exhaust-gas sensor has an output connected to the control unit. The second exhaust-gas sensor is arranged in the exhaust-gas stream of the internal-combustion engine, and is arranged downstream of the exhaust-gas cleaning element. The second gas sensor enables the control unit to cause a modification of the local balance of the oxygen concentration in the exhaust-gas cleaning element.

Abstract: A deterioration failure diagnostic apparatus for an exhaust gas sensor has a higher detection precision and a wider detection range against the deterioration failure of the exhaust gas sensor. An exhaust gas sensor is disposed in an exhaust gas pipe of an internal-combustion engine for producing an output corresponding to components of exhaust gas of the engine. The apparatus has a device for producing a detecting signal, which is multiplied to a basic fuel injection amount used at a normal operation to produce a fuel injection amount to be used for determining a condition of the exhaust gas sensor. The apparatus includes a device for extracting a frequency response corresponding to the detecting signal from an output of the exhaust gas sensor. The output is in response to the calculated fuel injection amount. The condition of the exhaust gas sensor is determined based on the extracted frequency response.

Abstract: A system for controlling a vehicle drivetrain in a fuel-efficient manner includes a control computer operable to define a contour from substantially zero engine load to substantially full engine load, wherein the contour may correspond to a fuel-efficient path from no-load to full-load engine operating conditions. With change gear transmissions, the control computer is operable to control transmission shift points about the contour. With continuous variable transmissions the control computer is operable to modify the effective gear ratio thereof to maintain engine operation on or about the contour. In either case, fuel efficient operation may be optimized.

Abstract: A system for controlling exhaust emissions produced by an internal combustion engine includes an engine controller having an emission manager configured to produce a base emission level cap command, corresponding to a maximum allowable emission level of the engine, as a function of at least altitude and ambient temperature. The emission manager may also include one or more auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs), and the emission manager is further operable in such cases to determine a maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. A final emission level cap command is determined as a function of the base emission level cap command and the maximum allowable emission level associated with each active AECD. The emission manager is further operable to produce a protection state data structure that includes information relating to the operational status of each AECD.

Abstract: A method for cylinder-specific adjustment of the injection quantity in internal combustion engines is provided, as well as an internal combustion engine with which the method may be implemented. The injection quantity per cylinder selected by the engine management is changed in a controlled manner following an orthogonal experimental plan. The effect of this change on the excess-air factor “lambda” is analyzed, allowing the formulation of a regression polynomial to determine necessary corrections of the injection quantity, which injection quantity is adjustable individually for each cylinder with a view to optimum combustion.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having at least one control device that affects an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture to be supplied to the engine, is disclosed. An air-fuel ratio correction coefficient is calculated for correcting an amount of fuel to be supplied to the engine so that the detected air-fuel ratio coincides with a target air-fuel ratio. An air-fuel ratio affecting parameter indicative of a degree of influence that an operation of the control device exercises upon the air-fuel ratio, is calculated. A correlation parameter which defines a correlation between the air-fuel ratio correction coefficient and the air-fuel ratio affecting parameter is calculated using a sequential statistical processing algorithm. A learning correction coefficient relating to a change in characteristics of the control device is calculated using the correlation parameter. The air-fuel ratio is controlled using the air-fuel ratio correction coefficient and the learning correction coefficient.

Abstract: Fuel properties estimating apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a controller to determine an estimated component concentration of a component such as alcohol in a fuel. The controller calculates a new value of the estimated component concentration in accordance with a component concentration variation and a stored previous value of the estimated component concentration. From an air-fuel ratio correction quantity calculated from an actual air fuel ratio, for correcting a fuel injection quantity, the controller calculates the component concentration variation by using a conversion function determined by the previous value of the component concentration.

Abstract: An arrangement for monitoring an air-mass measuring device (1) includes an electrically driven compressor (10) in an air supply of an internal combustion engine (5). The arrangement makes possible a precise modeling of the air mass flow. An air mass flow in the air supply is modeled in dependence upon a compressor rpm and a compressor pressure ratio and is compared to an air mass flow measured by the air-mass measuring device (1). The invention is also directed to a method for monitoring the air-mass measuring device (1).

Abstract: A control apparatus for a motor vehicle is provided in which each of a plurality of output values of the vehicle varies depending upon a plurality of input control parameters for controlling the vehicle. The control apparatus changes the input control parameter or parameters so that each of the output values becomes substantially equal to a corresponding target output value. The control apparatus then determines adapted values of the input control parameters, based on values of the input control parameters obtained when each of the output values becomes substantially equal to the corresponding target output value or falls within a permissible adaptation range of the target output value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a virtual sensor of exhaust emissions from a fuel-injection endothermic engine having a combustion chamber in each of its cylinders, a fuel injector serving each combustion chamber, and an electronic fuel-injection control unit. Advantageously, the virtual sensor includes an input interface receiving a signal from at least one pressure sensor for measuring the pressure inside at least one combustion chamber of the engine, a second input interface receiving signals from the electronic fuel-injection control unit, and a calculation block to provide estimates of the amounts of nitrogen compounds and particulates in the emissions based on the pressure and other relevant signals to the engine operation.

Abstract: A control apparatus, a control method, and an engine control unit are provided for controlling an output of a controlled object which has a relatively large response delay and/or dead time to rapidly and accurately converge to a target value. When the output of the controlled object is chosen to be that of an air/fuel ratio sensor in an internal combustion engine, the output of the air/fuel ratio sensor can be controlled to rapidly and accurately converge to a target value even in an extremely light load operation mode.

Abstract: The present invention includes an engine diagnostic method and routine, wherein a method of using an ionization signal to perform an engine diagnostic routine includes the steps of detecting the ionization signal; integrating the ionization signal over a first sampling window to generate a first integration ionization value; detecting a peak of the ionization signal over said first sampling window to generate a first peak ionization value; integrating the ionization over a second sampling window to generate a second integration ionization value; detecting a peak of the ionization signal over a second sampling window to generate a second peak ionization value; and diagnosing the engine using said ionization signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the air-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine to compensate for the effect of the dead times of an exhaust system including a catalytic converter, etc. and to increase the purifying capability of the catalytic converter. An exhaust-side control unit 7a sequentially variably sets a dead time of an exhaust system E depending on the flow rate of an exhaust gas supplied to a catalytic converter 3 and a dead time of an air-fuel ratio manipulating system comprising an internal combustion engine 1 and an engine-side control unit 7b, and sequentially estimates an output of an O2 sensor 6 after a total set dead time which is the sum of the above set dead times. The exhaust-side control unit 7a sequentially generates a target air-fuel ratio KCMD to converge the output of the O2 sensor 6 to a target value using the estimated value, and manipulates the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine 1.

Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a humidity sensor with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is described. Specifically, information from the humidity sensor is used to adjust a desired air-fuel ratio to reduce engine misfire while improving vehicle fuel economy. Further, such information is also used to adjust timing and/or lift of the valve in the engine cylinder. Finally, diagnostic routines are also described.

Abstract: In an air-fuel ratio feedback control for an engine, a cylinder-by-cylinder variation value is calculated for each cylinder based on changes of intake pipe pressure detected by an intake pipe pressure sensor, or the like, and a fuel injection amount or the like is corrected for each cylinder based on the variation value. When the variation is large during an engine operation, or until the variation correction is completed, it is determined that the output of an exhaust gas sensor will be disturbed by the variation and an air-fuel ratio feedback correction amount will be disturbed. Therefore, a control gain of the air-fuel ratio feedback control is changed to a value smaller than a normal value, or the feedback control is inhibited.

Abstract: A vehicle control system regulates oxides of nitrogen levels in vehicle emissions. Recirculation of exhaust gas in an engine is controlled with an exhaust gas regulator valve and/or a cam phaser. An oxides of nitrogen sensor determines the level of oxides of nitrogen levels in the exhaust gas and communicates the information to a vehicle controller. The controller determines if the oxides of nitrogen levels are within a predetermined threshold according to a lookup table. The controller adjusts the valve and/or cam phaser if the oxides of nitrogen levels are not within the threshold.

Abstract: A computer controller is described for disabling fuel injection into cylinder groups of an engine. The system controls engine output a reduced engine torques without reducing engine air amounts below an engine misfire amount by reducing the number of cylinders carrying out combustion. Engine airflow is controlled to maintain accurate torque at requested levels throughout engine operating ranges.

Abstract: An arrangement for correcting a signal (S) is suggested which contains a signal evaluation (28), which determines a characteristic variable of the input signal (US) of a controller (26) and/or the actuating variable (fr) of the controller (26) and/or at least one determined corrective signal (ora, fra) and/or at least one of their mean values (form) and compares the characteristic variable to at least one threshold value (SC1, SC2, SC3) and, when reaching or passing through at least one threshold value (SC1, SC2, SC3), an output signal (A) is made available at the end of the determination of the corrective signal (ora, fra).

Abstract: A failure diagnostic apparatus for a gas concentration detecting apparatus is provided, which can early detect disconnection in a cell included in the gas concentration detecting apparatus. The gas concentration detecting apparatus is provided, which includes cells each of which pumps out oxygen in a gas detection chamber, thereby generating an electric current corresponding to the concentration of oxygen in the gas detection chamber. A heater which heats each of the cells to an activation temperature is provided. A period during which a predetermined electric current should flow in the cell after the heater starts heating is detected. A determination on whether there is disconnection is made based on whether each of electric currents flowing in the cells is appropriate.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine determine a catalyst gain based on an exhaust gas sensor positioned upstream relative to a catalyst and at least one exhaust gas sensor positioned downstream relative to at least a portion of the catalyst and use the gain to determine the condition or performance of the catalyst. The gain may be determined by modeling the catalyst as an integrator with an unknown gain and estimating the gain using a polynomial approximation. The gain is compared to an expected value or threshold associated with current operating conditions, such as catalyst temperature and/or mass air flow.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling operation of an engine coupled to an exhaust treatment catalyst. Under predetermined conditions, the method operates an engine with a first group of cylinders combusting a lean air/fuel mixture and a second group of cylinders pumping air only (i.e., without fuel injection). In addition, the engine control method also provides the following features in combination with the above-described split air/lean mode: idle speed control, sensor diagnostics, air/fuel ratio control, adaptive learning, fuel vapor purging, catalyst temperature estimation, default operation, and exhaust gas and emission control device temperature control. In addition, the engine control method also changes to combusting in all cylinders under preselected operating conditions such as fuel vapor purging, manifold vacuum control, and purging of stored oxidants in an emission control device.

Abstract: A vehicle with a two-stroke engine includes a system for rapidly heating an exhaust pipe. The system may include a heating mode signal generator, a sensor, and a controller. Activation of the signal generator signals the controller, which, in turn, determines whether the engine RPM falls in a range such that the vehicle remains stationary. The controller may then set the engine ignition timing to a heating mode range that rapidly heats the exhaust pipe system. The ignition timing may be after top dead center in the heating mode. A method of rapidly heating an exhaust pipe is also disclosed.

Abstract: There are provided a control apparatus capable of controlling a controlled object with reduce dead time in sign inversion between the input to and the output from one of ?? and ?? modulation algorithms, thereby attaining improved convergence of the output from the controlled object to a target value and improved controllability. An ECU of the control apparatus calculates a limiting value DSMVO2L of a reference input DSMVO2, as DSMVO2L=?1 when DSMVO2<?1, DSMVO2L=1 when 1<DSMVO2, and DSMVO2L=DSMVO2 in the other cases. By inputting the limiting value DSMVO2L to a ? ? modulation algorithm, a DSM output is calculated, according to which the air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine is controlled such that output from an oxygen concentration sensor converges to a target value.

Abstract: A vehicle-installed exhaust gas analyzing apparatus includes a nondispersive infrared (NDIR) type gas analyzer for continuously measuring concentration of hydrocarbon (HC) in an exhaust gas flowing through an exhaust pipe which is connected to an engine, an exhaust gas flowmeter for continuously measuring flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe, and an operation processing device for processing outputs from the NDIR type gas analyzer and the exhaust gas flowmeter to continuously calculate mass of total hydrocarbon (THC) contained in the exhaust gas. The components are configured so at to be installable in vehicle. THC concentration is obtained by multiplying a measurement result obtained by the NDIR type analyzer by a predetermined conversion factor.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an air-fuel ratio control apparatus of an internal combustion engine and a method thereof, for estimating with high accuracy an oxygen adsorption amount in an exhaust purification catalyst, and controlling the oxygen adsorption amount in the exhaust purification catalyst at an optimum amount, thereby enabling to maintain high exhaust purification efficiency.

Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for eliminating a step in a control input before and after switching between control processing based on one modulation algorithm selected from a ? modulation algorithm, a ?? modulation algorithm, and a ?? modulation algorithm and control processing based on a response specified control algorithm to avoid a sudden change in the output of a controlled object in the event of the switching.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving combustion in a combustion chamber of a combustion engine. The method comprises the first step of receiving a measured air-to-fuel ratio value. Further, the method comprises the step of receiving at least one estimated air-to-fuel ratio value. The air-to-fuel ratio estimate is generated in dependence of a predetermined fuel deposit factor. Furthermore, the method comprises the step of establishing a fuel volatility value in dependence of said measured air-to-fuel ratio value and said air-to-fuel ratio estimate. Finally the method comprises the step of controlling combustion in dependence of said fuel volatility value.