Abstract: In a method for setting the rotary angle position of the camshaft of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine relative to the crankshaft, the crankshaft is connected to the camshaft by means of a triple-shaft gear mechanism. This triple-shaft gear mechanism has a drive shaft which is fixed to the crankshaft, an output shaft which is fixed to the camshaft, and an adjusting shaft which is driven by an electric motor. A crankshaft sensor signal is detected which changes its state when the rotary angle of the crankshaft changes. Furthermore, an adjusting shaft sensor signal is detected which changes its state when the rotary position of the adjusting shaft changes. A phase angle signal is updated, starting from a reference rotary angle value, when the state of the crankshaft sensor signal and/or of the adjusting shaft sensor signal changes, and is adjusted to a provided setpoint phase angle signal.

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.

Abstract: A control system and method for controlling a vehicle system, such as an engine, is taught. The controller uses the angular position of a rotating component, and in particular the angular phase of the rotating component to another rotating component, as an input. The input is determined with high resolution, yet is determined in a computationally efficient manner to reduce the amount of computation which must be performed by the controller. By producing a high resolution result in a computationally efficient manner, the result can be available to the controller almost immediately after the measurement is taken and the cost of controller can be less than it otherwise would be. In some embodiments, the system and method can also accurately determine the static angular position of one or more rotating members. The system and method are believed to be particularly suitable for determine the angular phasor between one or more camshafts and the crankshaft of an engine.

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.

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.

Abstract: A method for determining as a function of time the angle of rotation of a crankshaft by estimating the position of missing teeth on a target wheel is disclosed which has application to engine control. A sensor acquires, as a function of time, a periodic signal comprising a pulsating waveform, each pulse indicating the passage of a tooth past this sensor.

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.

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.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a sensing apparatus senses rotation of an engine component (e.g., a crank shaft) relative to an engine body. The sensing apparatus includes a sensor, and a bracket configured to position the sensor in a fixed location relative to the engine body. The starter ring has (i) a support portion configured to rotate in tandem with the engine component, (ii) a starter interface mounted to the support portion, the starter interface being configured to receive drive from a starter motor during operation of the starter motor, and (iii) a trigger portion mounted to the support portion. The trigger portion is configured to provide a series of indicators during rotation of the engine component. The series of indicators (e.g., a series of magnetic field perturbations during rotation of the engine component) is readable by the sensor thus enabling identification of component positioning and speed.

Abstract: A system and method allow the position of a motorcycle crankshaft to be sensed without causing oil froth or foam. A flywheel is arranged perpendicularly and concentrically with respect to the crankshaft, and an electronic sensor is positioned for sensing the face of the flywheel, which has a plurality of notches therein. The electronic sensor is equipped to sense passage of the notches past the sensor. The rim of the flywheel is toothless.

Abstract: An indicator device is for sensing a valve of a fluid machine including a casing having an interior chamber, a valve controlling flow into the interior chamber, and a rotatable shaft configured to displace the valve between open and closed positions when the shaft moves between first and second angular positions. A first indicator member, preferably a pinion gear, is coupled with the shaft such that angular movement of the shaft angularly displaces the first member. A second indicator member, preferably a rack gear, is coupled with the first member such that the angular displacement of the first member linearly displaces the second member. The second member linear displacement is generally proportional to angular displacement of the first member. Further, a sensor is configured to sense at least one of linear displacement and linear position of the second indicator member so as to sense the position of the valve.

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.

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 behaviour 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.

Abstract: A method of correcting a crankshaft position may include determining first, second, and third crankshaft positions, determining first, second, and third cylinder pressures, determining first, second, and third cylinder volumes, determining the logarithm of the first, second, and third cylinder pressures and cylinder volumes, and determining a relationship between the third cylinder volume and the first and second cylinder volumes. The first, second, and third crankshaft positions may be provided during one of a piston expansion stroke and a piston compression stroke within a cylinder. The logarithm of the third cylinder pressure and cylinder volume may be evaluated with respect to a predetermined limit of a line defined by the logarithm of the first and second cylinder pressures and first and second cylinder volumes.

Abstract: A variable valve timing mechanism 9 includes an electric motor 10 coupled to an intake camshaft 7. A plurality of rotation sensors 18 to 20 are located about the rotor 17 of the electric motor 10. Each of the sensors 18 to 20 outputs a signal corresponding to induced voltage generated by rotation of the rotor 17. Based on the signals form the rotation sensors 18 to 20, reverse rotation of an engine is detected. A counter C is decremented every time a crank signal is output after the occurrence of reverse rotation is detected. Further, a subtraction value Y is computed that corresponds to a discrepancy between the counter C and the actual crank angle caused by a discrepancy between the actual point in time of the occurrence of reverse rotation and the point in time of the detection of the reverse rotation. The counter C is reduced by the subtraction value Y.

Abstract: The present application provides a sensor adjusting method and a sensor adjusting system for a variable valve mechanism. An actuator is controlled based on an adjustment request signal from an external device in such a manner that a mechanical load of a variable valve mechanism moves to a position where the movement is limited by a stopper. When it is judged that the mechanical load has moved to the position where the movement is limited by the stopper, the mounting position and the electrical characteristics of the sensor for detecting the mechanical load are adjusted so that the output of the sensor assumes a reference value.

Abstract: A method for determining a direction of rotation of a rotatable shaft includes rotating a disk in synchronization with the rotatable shaft. The disk has a plurality of contiguous zones, and the zones include a set of first zones and at least one second zone. Each of the first zones has first and second areas. The method also includes generating a sensor signal using a sensor disposed adjacent the disk in response to the passing of the zones as the disk rotates. The sensor signal generated during the passing of the first zone is different than the sensor signal generated during the passing of the at least one second zone. The method further includes determining periods between the passing of the first areas of the first zones based on the sensor signal, detecting the at least one second zone based on the sensor signal, and determining the direction of rotation based on the periods determined after the detection of the at least one second zone.