Relative Rotational Position Patents (Class 73/114.26)
  • Patent number: 7971474
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine system of the invention calculates a time constant of a high pass filter for eliminating a resonance component of a damper as a distortional element from a rotation speed of an engine, and sets the high pass filter with computation of a transfer function from the time constant. The set high pass filter is applied to a 30-degree rotation time representing a rotational variation of the engine to obtain a filtered 30-degree rotation time with elimination of the resonance component of the damper. The occurrence of an engine misfire is detected, based on a 30-degree rotation time difference and a misfire detection base difference computed from the filtered 30-degree rotation times. This arrangement ensures highly-accurate detection of the occurrence of a misfire in the engine constructed to output power via the damper as the distortional element, irrespective of the rotation speed of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7966869
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a cam phase of an engine provided with a variable valve timing mechanism able to vary a rotating phase of a camshaft relative to a crankshaft of the engine, which apparatus and method can detect the rotating phase in a short cycle. There is provided a cam angle sensor having a configuration of outputting a cam angle signal at each time when the camshaft rotates by a unit angle. At the same time, by lengthening an output cycle of the cam angle signal on a part thereof or by using a second cam angle sensor able to detect a reference cam angle position, a cam angle position to which individual cam angle signal corresponds is detected. Then, the rotating phase of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft can be detected, based on the detection result of the cam angle position based on the cam angle signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7942041
    Abstract: In an engine control device, when a missing-tooth location K formed on a rotor of a crank shaft sensor fixed to a crank shaft of an engine is detected at timing t1 under the condition T3 ?2.4×pulse interval T4, it is checked whether or not the detection result is correct based on pulse intervals T0 to T5. When the detection result is correct, the difference (an adjusting counter value) between a counter-value of a crank counter at the missing-tooth location K detection timing and a correct value at the detection timing of the missing-tooth location K is calculated. The device calculates an adjusted counter-value based on an adjusting counter-value, the current counter-value of the crank counter, and a value (+1) set in advance based on the rewriting timing. The crank counter is replaced with the adjusted counter-value at a first rising-edge of the crank signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7937210
    Abstract: A device for controlling an internal combustion engine has sensors That measure the operating states of the internal combustion engine. The sensor signals are used for determining control signals for the internal combustion engine. Furthermore, testing means are provided which verify the sensor signals and if implausible sensor signals are detected, control of the internal combustion engine is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Koelle, Thorsten Mausbach, Georgios Daniilidis
  • Patent number: 7930929
    Abstract: A method of transmitting information making it possible to monitor the operation of an internal combustion engine, includes the steps of: measuring the angular position of a crankshaft via an absolute position sensor provided with a digital output, and transmitting at a frequency f1 to an engine control unit the measured angular position information, encoded in a data string containing N1 bits, transmitting at a frequency f2 of the measured angular position information, encoded in a data string containing N2 bits, the number N2 of bits being greater than the number N1, the frequency f2 being less than or equal to the frequency f1. The encoding in N1 bits allows transmission of angular position information at low resolution, whereas the encoding in N2 bits allows the transmission of high resolution information, able to detect misfirings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Frédéric Galtier, Philippe Avian, Jeremy Blanc, Willem Teulings
  • Patent number: 7921698
    Abstract: A method and a system for detecting a crank angle of an engine includes detecting a non-toothed portion of a crank pulse rotor during a inlet valve open period for preventing falsely recognizing compression top dead center as a position of the non-toothed portion. A crank angle sensor is arranged at a position facing an outer circumference of a crank pulse rotor including a non-toothed portion thereof. An interval calculating unit measures crank pulse time intervals between adjacent teeth based on a sensing signal received from the crank angle sensor. The measured successive crank pulse time intervals are compared for detection of the non-toothed portion. A ratio calculating unit calculates a ratio of crank pulse intervals. A maximum ratio detecting unit determines presence of the non-toothed portion when the calculated ratio of crank pulse interval is the maximum in the cycle of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiya Omuro, Katsuhiro Ouchi
  • Patent number: 7921699
    Abstract: The rotational position detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a rotational angle sensor outputting a rotation angle signal indicative of a rotational angle of the internal combustion engine, an in-cylinder pressure sensor outputting an in-cylinder pressure signal indicative of an in-cylinder pressure of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, and a reference rotational position detecting section which detects a specific rotational angle of the internal combustion engine at which the in-cylinder pressure becomes a predetermined reference pressure under a predetermined running condition of the internal combustion engine, and determines the detected specific rotational angle as a reference rotational position of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Hoshi, Youhei Morimoto, Akikazu Kojima
  • Patent number: 7913545
    Abstract: A control module for determining a time and angle based cylinder pressure includes a crankshaft position determination module that determines a first crankshaft position in an engine at a first time, a time-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines N time-based cylinder pressures in the engine at N times, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and an angle-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines an angle-based cylinder pressure at the first crankshaft position based on the first time, the N cylinder pressures, and the N times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Joseph R. Dulzo, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Publication number: 20110036156
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for adapting mechanical tolerances of a timing wheel of a sensor unit of an internal combustion engine of a hybrid drive of a vehicle, the hybrid drive having at least one second motor, in particular an electric motor, in addition to the internal combustion engine, and the internal combustion engine being operated in a desired operating mode during adaptation operation. It is provided that the desired operating mode is performed in such a way that the internal combustion engine is driven using the second motor, in particular an electric motor, and no fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine. A corresponding device is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Andreas ` Roth, Armin Huber, Jens Boettcher
  • Patent number: 7874281
    Abstract: In a method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine with a fuel pump, which on the drive side is coupled with a camshaft or a crankshaft, and a fuel accumulator, which is supplied by the fuel pump and to which a pressure sensor is assigned for sensing the pressure in the fuel accumulator, to each cycle of the internal combustion engine a first and a second crankshaft rotation (CRK_R1, CRK_R2) are assigned. Depending on a signal sequence (P_F_S) of the sensed pressure in the fuel accumulator which is characteristic of the respective crankshaft rotation it is ascertained whether the crankshaft is in its first or second rotation (CRK_R1, CRK_R2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Delp, Gerhard Eser
  • Publication number: 20100319442
    Abstract: In a method according to the invention for testing a drive arrangement and an accordingly equipped converter, an actual torsional backlash of an engine brake, which is preferably configured as a spring-operated brake, is determined and compared to a permitted torsional backlash. To this end, a test torque, which is smaller than a holding torque of the brake, is moved counter to the closed brake up to a stop, preferably in both directions of rotation. The testing method can be implemented as a routine check in a converter of the drive arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Erich Bott
  • Patent number: 7856337
    Abstract: A method (and corresponding apparatus) for monitoring the rotational speed of the shaft of a gas turbine having a number of spaced blades on or rotating with the shaft. The invention compensates for the errors which arise from the relative movement of turbine blade tips by deriving a correction factor for each blade and continually updating that correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Weston Aerospace Limited
    Inventors: Wojciech Konrad Kulczyk, Anthony Palmer, Matthew Clifton-Welker
  • Publication number: 20100300387
    Abstract: A control module and system includes a camshaft position module that determines a camshaft position change of a crankshaft. The control module also includes a cam phaser velocity module determines a cam phaser velocity based on the camshaft position change. A cam phaser velocity module determines a compensation factor based on the cam phaser velocity. A cam position compensation module generates a corrected cam position signal based on the compensation factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Yiran Hu, Kenneth P. Dudek, Shawn W. Midlam-Mohler, Yann G. Guezennec, Stephen Yurkovich, Layne K. Wiggins
  • Patent number: 7844386
    Abstract: A reference signal generator generating a reference signal for high-resolution measurement/control in real time includes a means for calculating the rotational trend, e.g. increase/decrease in the r.p.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: A & D Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouji Sekimoto
  • Publication number: 20100286892
    Abstract: With an internal combustion engine (1) there is the problem that the fuel-air mixture directed into the combustion chamber of the cylinders (2) can be substantially influenced by manufacturing tolerances and ageing of the fuel injectors and uneven distribution is thus created. According to the invention it is therefore proposed that the uneven distribution is individually determined for each cylinder (2) depending on the operating mode of the internal combustion engine (1) (homogenous operation, stratified operation), wherein either the exhaust gas is analyzed and a corresponding emission value is determined there from or that a value is individually determined for each cylinder (2) for the operational roughness of the internal combustion engine (1). These values are compared with a limit value predetermined for the internal combustion engine (1) and upon exceeding of the predetermined limit value a fault entry in a fault memory (9) is made for the cylinder (2) concerned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventor: Reza Aliakbarzadeh
  • Patent number: 7827857
    Abstract: An estimation method of the crank angle at which 50% of the fuel mass has been burnt in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine with spontaneous ignition of the mixture provided with a drive shaft coupled to a phonic wheel presenting a number N of teeth; the method contemplates the steps of: reading the passage of each tooth of the phonic wheel in front of a sensor; determining the angular speed of the drive shaft at each tooth event of the phonic wheel; determining at least one harmonic of the speed signal; determining an inverse mechanical model of the transmission; determining at least one torque harmonic by applying the inverse mechanical model to the speed signal harmonic; determining an algebraic function which puts a combustion index into relation with the phase of the nth torque harmonic; and determining the combustion index by applying the algebraic function to the nth torque harmonic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Serra, Savino Luigi Lupo
  • Publication number: 20100263438
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine includes determining a relative position between a first camshaft and a second camshaft during a startup event of the engine when the first camshaft is at a first home position and the second camshaft is at a second home position. The first home position is a first preset angular position of the first camshaft relative to a crankshaft. The second home position is a second preset angular position of the second camshaft relative to the crankshaft when the engine is in an OFF state. The method includes generating a first estimate of the first home position. The method also includes diagnosing a mis-build of the engine based on the relative position, the first estimate and a second estimate of the second home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Bagnasco, Kenneth J. Cinpinski
  • Publication number: 20100263439
    Abstract: A method for determining engine crankshaft position determines the position of a rotating crankshaft using one or many crankshaft position sensors. The sensor output signals representing crankshaft position are digitized and specific timing positions are derived. The sampled timing positions are compared to a known position template to determine crankshaft position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: BG SOFLEX LLC.
    Inventors: Bruce BOWLING, Albert GRIPPO
  • Patent number: 7814780
    Abstract: A method for determining engine crankshaft position determines the position of a rotating crankshaft using one or many crankshaft position sensors. The sensor output signals representing crankshaft position are digitized and specific timing positions are derived. The sampled timing positions are compared to a known position template to determine crankshaft position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: BG Soflex LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Bowling, Albert Grippo
  • Patent number: 7789068
    Abstract: A control method of a direct injection system of the common rail in an internal combustion engine; the control method contemplates the steps of: feeding the pressurized fuel to a common rail by means of a high-pressure pump presenting at least one pumping element mechanically operated by a drive shaft of the internal combustion engine; measuring the angular position of the drive shaft; measuring the fuel pressure in the common rail; analyzing the oscillations of the fuel pressure in the common rail; and determining the phase of the pumping element of the high-pressure pump with respect to the drive shaft according to the oscillations of the fuel pressure in the common rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Serra, Matteo De Cesare, Giovanni Prodi
  • Publication number: 20100212632
    Abstract: Operating an engine includes monitoring engine crank position, a corresponding engine torque, and an engine operating point. A state of an engine control parameter is adjusted in response to a difference between an identified location of peak torque and a preferred location of peak torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Hossein Javaherian, Alan W. Brown, Michael P. Nolan
  • Patent number: 7775090
    Abstract: A detector and its method of use for detecting a pulse generator plate, such as a pulse generator plate associated with the crankshaft of an engine or motor. The detector includes a detection sensor that is adapted to inductively couple itself to a pulse generator plate sensor located on an engine or motor of interest when placed in proximity thereto. The detection sensor is preferably connected to an amplifier unit. When a pulse generator plate is present, rotation of the associated crankshaft will cause interruptions of the magnetic fields of both sensors, which interruptions produce electric currents. These electric currents may be passed to the amplifier unit to power an indicator that may be observed by a user. A detector and method of the present invention may be used to detect the presence of and/or damage to a pulse generator plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Brent Rankin
  • Publication number: 20100191440
    Abstract: A cetane number detection device for an internal combustion engine includes: fuel injection devices that injects fuel individually into cylinders; control device that executes injection of fuel from at least one of the fuel injection devices at a predetermined injection timing when the internal combustion engine is started; combustion determination device; and detection device. The combustion state determination device determines whether the state of combustion in the combustion chamber of at least one cylinder into which fuel is injected by the at least one fuel injection device is an ignition state or a misfire state. The detection device detects the cetane number of the fuel on the basis of the state of combustion in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuki Iwatani
  • Patent number: 7757547
    Abstract: A cylinder stroke position measurement device for enabling common use of a rotation sensor unit in measurement of a cylinder stroke position by detecting an amount of rotation of a rotary roller by means of a rotation sensor. A cylinder is provided at its head portion with a base member 300 having an opening accommodating at least a rotary roller and a rotation sensor section. A pressing member, the rotary roller, and the rotation sensor section are held on one side of a sensor holding member, while a coupling member for example is provided on the opposite side of the sensor holding member, thus constituting a rotation sensor unit. The sensor holding member is attached to the base member such that the rotary roller and the rotation sensor section are accommodated in the opening of the base member 300. The rotary roller is pressed by the pressing member against the surface of a rod. The rotation sensor section detects an amount of rotation of the rotary roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Kageyama, Nobuyuki Nagahashi
  • Patent number: 7757546
    Abstract: A system designed to simulate an internal combustion engine having improper valve timing is provided. The purpose of the simulation system is to calibrate and/or validate a proprietary cam-crank correlation diagnostic algorithm. The simulation system includes a simulator module that communicates with crankshaft and camshaft position sensors and an engine control module. The simulator module includes: a first selector that selects a shift value for shifting a periodic signal; and a modification module that receives a camshaft position signal from the camshaft position sensor and that generates a modified camshaft position signal based on the crankshaft position signal and the shift value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Inventors: Michael David Gray, Steven Fredrick Haller
  • Publication number: 20100170478
    Abstract: A method for determining the phasing of the angular position of a four-stroke internal combustion engine with indirect injection and time-controlled sequential reinjection/sequential injection cutoff, characterized in that it includes, with the engine running, the following steps: observing the curve (3, 4) of engine speed (1) as a function of time (2) during a phase of sequential reinjection and/or sequential injection cutoff, performed in accordance with the expected oscillations of the transmission, discriminating, according to the shape of the curve (3, 4), a substantially linear shape (3) being indicative of correct phasing, whereas a substantially sinusoidal shape (4) is indicative of incorrect phasing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Laure Carbonne, Patrick Cremona, Pierre Zouboff
  • Publication number: 20100162803
    Abstract: A method of detecting during a combustion cycle a peak value of pressure in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine includes providing and installing on the engine body an accelerometer that generates an acceleration signal representing vibrations of the engine body. The acceleration signal is filtered by comparing the band-pass filtered replica of the acceleration signal to a threshold. When the threshold is surpassed, a pressure peak is detected and flagged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Taglialatela Scafati, Nicola Cesario, Domenico Porto, Bianca Maria Vaglieco, Simona Silvia Merola
  • Patent number: 7735360
    Abstract: Method for determining the reversal of the direction of engine rotation for internal combustion engines having a crankshaft fitted with a target wheel having teeth, one of which is a long tooth, with a unidirectional crankshaft position sensor delivering a signal used for counting teeth and with an engine management device including a processor and a model of the engine behavior in a stalling phase, including: recording the signal and measuring each time difference between two successive edges of the signal, calculating, on the basis of the model, the time variation of the engine position from the time differences between the edges of the signal, and estimating the stopped position of the engine, wherein the model is a second-order polynomial function of time, and the position of reversal of the direction of rotation is estimated from the calculation of the peak position of this second-order polynomial function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Vincent Dian, Valérie Gouzenne, Pierre Zouboff
  • Patent number: 7735515
    Abstract: A valve system both controls fuel flow by means of a valve and senses the condition of the valve. The valve is actuated by an actuator via a rotatable shaft. Light is transmitted by a laser diode, via a polarising filter (which is mounted to rotate with the shaft), down the shaft, and is reflected by a mirror which directs the light back up the shaft via the filter to a receiver, which is able to detect different directions of polarisation of the light received. The polarisation of the light received by the receiver indicates whether the valve is open or shut. If no light is received a fault is deemed present. Thus, the condition of the valve is checked directly by means of an apparatus remote from the valve and the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Airbus UK Limited
    Inventors: Paul James Pilkington, Michael David Ward
  • Publication number: 20100145592
    Abstract: A method for controlling a variable valve apparatus of an internal combustion engine and a system thereof is disclosed. A method for controlling a variable valve apparatus of an internal combustion engine may include: setting a target cam phase corresponding to a current operation state of an engine received from a vehicle controller via a controller area network (CAN) bus; determining whether a deviation of the current cam phase from the target cam phase is greater than a predetermined deviation; calculating a proportion-integral-derivation (PID) sliding surface based on the target cam phase; calculating a control current for controlling a cam phase to move on the sliding surface in a case when the deviation is greater than the predetermined deviation; and operating the variable valve device so that the current cam phase can follow the target cam phase by converting the calculated control current to a driving duty ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hakmo YOO
  • Publication number: 20100131176
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having a valve operating characteristic varying mechanism for continuously changing a lift amount of at least one intake valve of the engine. The valve operating characteristic varying mechanism includes a control shaft for changing the lift amount, a motor for rotating the control shaft, and a transmission mechanism provided between an output shaft of the motor and the control shaft for transmitting an actuating force of the motor to the control shaft. A first rotational angle sensor detects a rotational angle of the output shaft of the motor, and a second rotational angle sensor detects a rotational angle of the control shaft. A control of the lift amount of the at least one intake valve is performed according to the rotational angle detected by the first rotational angle sensor or the second rotational angle sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirohito IDE
  • Publication number: 20100114460
    Abstract: The engine misfire detection process according to one aspect of the invention first makes tentative detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in execution of both vibration control and rotation speed control. In response to the tentative detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process subsequently makes final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire. In the event of no final detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process makes tentative detection and final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in prohibition of the vibration control. In the event of still no final detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process makes tentative detection and final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in further prohibition of the rotation speed control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Hikokazu Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20100107747
    Abstract: A method for incrementally ascertaining a rotation angle of a shaft, in particular of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, the shaft being connected to a sensor wheel having teeth and tooth gaps, and at least one sensor being associated with the sensor wheel, the sensor generating a square-wave signal as an output signal which may assume a first value or a second value, and a signal edge being associated with a tooth edge, and the position in time of a counteredge with respect to the edge encoding a direction of rotation, an assignment of a direction of rotation reversal point to a tooth of the sensor wheel or a tooth gap of the sensor wheel being encoded by the position in time of the counteredge with respect to the edge, the rotation angle being ascertained by adding an increment for each signal edge to a counter, after a direction of rotation reversal while a tooth passes the sensor, a half-increment, having a sign of the direction of rotation after the direction of rotation reversal, being incre
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Eduard Rolew, Uwe Kassner
  • Publication number: 20100088010
    Abstract: A method and control system for controlling an engine includes an instantaneous crankshaft acceleration determining module determining an instantaneous crankshaft acceleration. An engine parameter adjustment module adjusts an engine parameter in response to the instantaneous crankshaft acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Julian R. Verdejo, Michael R. Grimes, Nicholas John Kalweit, David S. Mathews
  • Publication number: 20100064787
    Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement structure for a sensor to be mounted to an engine of a vehicle, wherein the engine is arranged in an engine compartment 2 of the vehicle in a posture allowing a crankshaft 8 of the engine to be oriented in a widthwise direction of the vehicle. The arrangement structure comprises a driveshaft 50 arranged along a vehicle-rearward lateral surface of the engine 1 facing in a rearward direction of the vehicle, to rotatably drive a front wheel, and a flange section 28a provided as a joining section between two members (12, 15) constituting the engine 1, to protrude in the rearward direction of the vehicle and at a height position below that of the driveshaft 50, wherein the sensor 42 is mounted to the vehicle-rearward lateral surface of the engine 1 at a height position located above the flange section 28a and in overlapping relation with the driveshaft 50 when viewed from a rear side of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinobu AOKI, Masaaki SATO, Nobuhiro FUJII, Kenji KASHIYAMA, Noriyoshi OKII, Tomohiro KOGUCHI, Fumie KITAKAZE, Atsushi HISANO
  • Publication number: 20100043750
    Abstract: A crankshaft detection system includes a pickup element mounted to an end of a crankshaft and disposed within a rear portion of the aircraft engine's crankcase. The crankshaft detection system also includes pickup element sensor secured to a mounting location formed in the rear portion of the aircraft engine's crankcase and disposed in proximity to the pickup element. As the crankshaft rotates the pickup element relative to the pickup element sensor, the pickup element causes the pickup element sensor to generate a signal indicative of the angular velocity and rotational position of the crankshaft. In order to optimize engine performance, in response to the signal, the controller controls a spark event associated with each the cylinder assembly of the engine such that ignition of the fuel and air mixture occurs within each cylinder assembly at a time prior to each piston of each cylinder assembly reaching a top dead center position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: LYCOMING ENGINES, A DIVISION OF AVCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Forrest Ross Lysinger
  • Patent number: 7661298
    Abstract: A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine including at least one cylinder are described, the at least one cylinder including at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve and a diagnosis of at least one erroneous intake valve or at least one erroneous exhaust valve is made possible without using a position acknowledgment. A gas exchange of the at least one cylinder is diagnosed thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Hartmann, Georg Mallebrein, Werner Mezger, Andreas Roth, Henri Barbier, Nikolas Poertner, Juergen Rappold, Ingo Fecht
  • Publication number: 20100030446
    Abstract: To reduce the complexity of an indicating system 6 on an internal combustion engine for determining a parameter, the invention provides that on the basis of the measured variable a computing unit 8 for the indicating system 6 computes crank angle information, and on the basis of the crank angle information thus computed and the measured variable determines an engine parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: AVL LIST GMBH
    Inventors: Gernot Fernitz, Klaus Leitmeier, Josef Moik, Rüdiger Teichmann, Klaus-Christoph Harms, Martin Rzehorska
  • Publication number: 20100018299
    Abstract: In an engine control device, when a missing-tooth location K formed on a rotor of a crank shaft sensor fixed to a crank shaft of an engine is detected at timing t1 under the condition T3?2.4×pulse interval T4, it is checked whether or not the detection result is correct based on pulse intervals T0 to T5. When the detection result is correct, the difference (an adjusting counter value) between a counter-value of a crank counter at the missing-tooth location K detection timing and a correct value at the detection timing of the missing-tooth location K is calculated. The device calculates an adjusted counter-value based on an adjusting counter-value, the current counter-value of the crank counter, and a value (+1) set in advance based on the rewriting timing. The crank counter is replaced with the adjusted counter-value at a first rising-edge of the crank signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20090306839
    Abstract: An aircraft monitoring system uses aircraft engine and system transducers to monitor critical engine and aircraft system parameters. Simple controls and graphical user interfaces facilitate the display of different kinds of critical information to the pilot. Such data may also be recorded for later downloading and analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: INSIGHT AVIONICS, INC.
    Inventors: John S. Youngquist, John W. Toulmin
  • Publication number: 20090301179
    Abstract: In order to acquire the angular position of a shaft of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in particular a crankshaft or a camshaft, a shaft angle sensor and a shaft angle sensor system are proposed. The shaft angle sensor has a magnetic transducer element and a magnetic sensor element. Either the magnetic transducer element or the magnetic sensor element is capable of being connected fixedly to the shaft. The magnetic sensor element produces at least one angle signal that is transmitted wirelessly to a base station by a transmitter device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventor: David Moessner
  • Publication number: 20090299599
    Abstract: A device for controlling an internal combustion engine has sensors That measure the operating states of the internal combustion engine. The sensor signals are used for determining control signals for the internal combustion engine. Furthermore, testing means are provided which verify the sensor signals and if implausible sensor signals are detected, control of the internal combustion engine is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Ulrich Koelle, Thorsten Mausbach, Georgios Daniilidis
  • Publication number: 20090272367
    Abstract: By a respective cylinder-specific lambda regulator, a regulator value for influencing the air/fuel ratio in the respective cylinder is determined as a function of the cylinder-specific air/fuel ratio measured for the respective cylinder. The regulator value is monitored for the attainment of a first predefined threshold value, and when the latter is reached, a lambda quality value is determined which is representative of the deviation of the measured cylinder-specific air/fuel ratios assigned to the respective cylinders. The regulator value is monitored for the attainment of a second predefined threshold value which is representative of a more pronounced regulating intervention than the first threshold value. When the second predefined threshold value is reached, the lambda quality value is determined. If the lambda quality value assigned to the first threshold value is lower than the value assigned to the second threshold value, unstable regulating behaviour is identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Reza Aliakbarzadeh, Carlos Eduardo Migueis
  • Publication number: 20090276138
    Abstract: A control module for determining a time and angle based cylinder pressure includes a crankshaft position determination module that determines a first crankshaft position in an engine at a first time, a time-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines N time-based cylinder pressures in the engine at N times, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and an angle-based cylinder pressure determination module that determines an angle-based cylinder pressure at the first crankshaft position based on the first time, the N cylinder pressures, and the N times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Joseph R. Dulzo, Kenneth J. Buselpp
  • Patent number: 7610800
    Abstract: A method for collecting crankshaft position data includes rotating a crankshaft of an engine within a selected angular velocity range without any fuel being applied to the engine and measuring crankshaft position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Xuan Dung T. Avallone, John L. Lahti, David S. Mathews, Robert C. Simon, Jr., Leonard G. Wozniak, William R. Cawthorne, Robert S Wickman
  • Publication number: 20090271089
    Abstract: A reference signal generator generating a reference signal for high-resolution measurement/control in real time includes a means for calculating the rotational trend, e.g. increase/decrease in the r.p.m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: A &D COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kouji Sekimoto
  • Patent number: 7603892
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus and method include a sensor configured on an integrated circuit, which includes a current limiting open collector output stage configured in association with the integrated circuit. The current limiting open collector output stage reduces a fall time and a di/dt associated with an output signal of the sensor and a ringing produced thereof in order to improve EMC and conducted emissions required of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Foster, Jason M. Chilcote, John A. Modica
  • Publication number: 20090241649
    Abstract: A method and a system for detecting a crank angle of an engine includes detecting a non-toothed portion of a crank pulse rotor during a inlet valve open period for preventing falsely recognizing compression top dead center as a position of the non-toothed portion. A crank angle sensor is arranged at a position facing an outer circumference of a crank pulse rotor including a non-toothed portion thereof. An interval calculating unit measures crank pulse time intervals between adjacent teeth based on a sensing signal received from the crank angle sensor. The measured successive crank pulse time intervals are compared for detection of the non-toothed portion. A ratio calculating unit calculates a ratio of crank pulse intervals. A maximum ratio detecting unit determines presence of the non-toothed portion when the calculated ratio of crank pulse interval is the maximum in the cycle of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiya Omuro, Katsuhiro Ouchi
  • Publication number: 20090217744
    Abstract: A method of transmitting information making it possible to monitor the operation of an internal combustion engine, includes the steps of: measuring the angular position of a crankshaft via an absolute position sensor provided with a digital output, and transmitting at a frequency f1 to an engine control unit the measured angular position information, encoded in a data string containing N1 bits, transmitting at a frequency f2 of the measured angular position information, encoded in a data string containing N2 bits, the number N2 of bits being greater than the number N1, the frequency f2 being less than or equal to the frequency f1. The encoding in N1 bits allows transmission of angular position information at low resolution, whereas the encoding in N2 bits allows the transmission of high resolution information, able to detect misfirings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Frédéric Galtier, Philippe Avian, Jeremy Blanc, Willem Teulings
  • Publication number: 20090183558
    Abstract: A vehicle camshaft/crankshaft sensor has a plastic terminal assembly defining a connector and a plastic housing and bracket assembly engaged with the terminal assembly and defining a plastic bracket. Various structures are disclosed for establishing one of plural discrete orientations between the bracket and the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Xin Houjie, Samuel Roland Palfenier, Luis A. Flores-Mena