With Oxygen Sensor Patents (Class 73/114.73)
  • Patent number: 8251049
    Abstract: A method for estimating an oxygen concentration in an intake manifold of a diesel engine utilizing exhaust gas recirculation includes monitoring engine operation, monitoring an exhaust gas recirculation valve, and monitoring an exhaust air fuel ratio. When the engine operates in steady state with the exhaust gas recirculation valve in the closed position, a volumetric efficiency for the engine is updated. A partial pressure due to exhaust gas recirculation within the intake manifold based upon the updated volumetric efficiency is determined, and an estimated oxygen concentration within the intake manifold based upon the partial pressure due to exhaust gas recirculation within the intake manifold and the exhaust air fuel ratio is determined. Operation of the engine is controlled based upon the estimated oxygen concentration within the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Ibrahim Haskara, Chen-Fang Chang, Yue-Yun Wang
  • Patent number: 8250912
    Abstract: Four cases are to be distinguished from one another for an exhaust gas line of a motor vehicle with an oxygen storage reservoir and a lambda probe located downstream from at least part of the oxygen storage reservoir, specifically in each case, whether or not the oxygen storage reservoir has sufficient storage capacity and whether or not the lambda probe is fully serviceable. For this purpose, the exhaust gas line is supplied in an alternating sequence with rich and lean exhaust gas, in two different passes the degree of oxygen filling being varied differently. For a minor variation of the degree of oxygen filling, the serviceability of the lambda probe can be deduced on the basis of certain criteria. If the lambda probe is fully serviceable, the sufficiency or insufficiency of the oxygen storage capacity of the oxygen storage reservoir can be deduced for a greater variation of the degree of oxygen filling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Audi, AG
    Inventor: Bodo Odendall
  • Patent number: 8210034
    Abstract: An abnormality determination apparatus for an oxygen sensor provided on the downstream side of a catalyst includes: a first determination portion that determines whether a rich-output continuation time during which output value of the oxygen sensor continues being an output value that shows a rich state before a fuel cut is started is longer than a set continuation time; a second determination portion that determines whether degree of change in the output value when the output value changes from a first reference value to a second reference value that shows a leaner state than the first reference value is more gradual than a set degree of change after the fuel cut is started; and a third determination portion that determines whether the oxygen sensor is abnormal based on determinations by the first determination portion the second determination portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8191414
    Abstract: A sensor including a sensor element including a plurality of electrode terminals, terminal metal fittings, a terminal surrounding member, and lead wires connected to respective terminal metal fittings. The terminal surrounding member is divided into a front side surrounding member and a rear side surrounding member in the front-rear direction, and a rear end face of the front side surrounding member abuts a front end face of the rear side surrounding member. At least one of the terminal metal fittings includes a protruding piece portion protruding in a lateral direction and held between the rear end face of the front side surrounding member and the front end face of the rear side surrounding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kume, Noboru Matsui
  • Patent number: 8108130
    Abstract: In the calibration of a lambda sensor (26), inaccuracies occur during a fuel cut-off overrun phase depending on the temperature. A method is proposed for correcting an output signal of a lambda sensor (16) of an internal combustion engine (1), having the following steps: detection of a fuel cut-off overrun phase of the internal combustion engine (1), sensing of an exhaust-gas composition by the lambda sensor (16) during the fuel cut-off overrun phase, sensing of a temperature which represents a measure of the intake air of the internal combustion engine (1), calibration of the lambda sensor (16) based on the second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Scheuerer
  • Patent number: 8086392
    Abstract: An engine control system includes an oxygen (O2) sensor diagnostic module that diagnoses an O2 sensor and requests a minimum air per cylinder (APC). A throttle actuator module controls a throttle to adjust a mass air flow based on the minimum APC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Inventors: Igor Anilovich, Jeffry A. Helmick, Richard B. Jess, John W. Siekkinen, Christopher E. Whitney, Robert C. Simon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8065910
    Abstract: An abnormality determination apparatus for an oxygen sensor provided on the downstream side of a catalyst includes: a first determination portion that determines whether amount of decline in output value of the oxygen sensor during a period from when amount of intake air or exhaust gas declines before a fuel cut is started to when the fuel cut is started is smaller than a reference amount of decline; a second determination portion that determines whether degree of change in the output value when the output value changes from a first reference value to a second reference value that shows a leaner state than the first reference value is more gradual than a set degree of change after the fuel cut is started; and a third determination portion that determines whether the oxygen sensor is abnormal based on determinations by the first determination portion the second determination portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8050852
    Abstract: An abnormality detection device for an internal combustion engine capable of performing abnormality detection with accuracy, and an air/fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine capable of performing air/fuel ratio control with accuracy. An estimated value of the amount of intake air at a valve closing time at which an intake value is closed, is computed. The in-cylinder air/fuel ratio in a cylinder is computed by using the estimated value. The obtained in-cylinder air/fuel ratio is used as an input air/fuel ratio to identify a parameter in a primary delay element. Determination as to the existence/nonexistence of an abnormality in a pre-catalyst sensor (A/F sensor) is made on the basis of the obtained parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoto Kato
  • Patent number: 8001834
    Abstract: A method for detecting faults in an air system of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold includes, but is not limited to the steps of measuring an oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold, estimating an intake oxygen control value in the intake manifold and estimating an intake oxygen reference value in the intake manifold based on said oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold. The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of calculating an intake deviation value as a difference between the intake oxygen control value and the intake oxygen reference value and verifying if the intake deviation value is greater than a predetermined first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nando Vennettilli, Massimiliano Maira, Morena Bruno
  • Patent number: 7987840
    Abstract: A fuel control approach that compensates for time delays to increase exhaust gas sensor feedback response speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen William Magner, Mrdjan J. Jankovic, James Michael Kerns, Alan Robert Dona
  • Patent number: 7954365
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor circuit comprises an oxygen sensor, a bias voltage module, and a switch module. The bias voltage module communicates with the oxygen sensor and generates a bias voltage. The switch module selectively connects the bias voltage module to the oxygen sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Inventors: Vincent A. White, Michael S. Emmorey, Paul E. Treumuth
  • Patent number: 7946162
    Abstract: A method for estimating the oxygen concentration in an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, an EGR system, a throttle valve, an air mass sensor for measuring a fresh air flow ({dot over (m)}thr) entering the intake manifold through the throttle valve, and cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nando Vennettilli, Massimiliano Maira
  • Publication number: 20110106411
    Abstract: A diagnostic system for an engine includes a stage transition module and a control module. The stage transition module generates a command signal based on a fuel control signal. The command signal commands a fuel system of the engine to intrusively transition between rich and lean states during a diagnostic test that includes first, second, and third stages. The first, second, and third stages are defined based on transitions between the rich and lean states. The control module during the second and third stages detects: an error with a first oxygen sensor based on a comparison between the command signal and a first oxygen signal from the first oxygen sensor; an error with a second oxygen sensor based on a second oxygen signal from the second oxygen sensor; and an error with a catalytic converter based on the first and second oxygen signals and a manifold absolute pressure signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC
    Inventors: Igor Anilovich, John W. Siekkinen, Wesley W. Wald, Robert J. Genslak, Jeffry A. Helmick, John F. Van Gilder
  • Patent number: 7930932
    Abstract: A NOx sensor abnormality detection device senses a NOx concentration and an O2 concentration from output signals of a NOx sensor and calculates an estimated NOx concentration from the O2 concentration when an engine is in a steady operation state, when a zero point of the NOx concentration is sensed, and when an O2 sensing section of the NOx sensor is normal. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device calculates a sensed inclination and an estimated inclination of a NOx concentration output characteristic of the NOx sensor based on the sensed NOx concentration, the sensed O2 concentration and the estimated NOx concentration calculated from the O2 concentration. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device determines that the NOx sensor is faulty when an absolute value of a difference between the sensed inclination and the estimated inclination is larger than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kariya, Kanehito Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7926333
    Abstract: Method for determining the oxygen storage capacity of a catalytic converter for a motor vehicle using the signals of an oxygen probe upstream and an oxygen probe downstream from the catalytic converter which has the following steps of determining of a delay time which is dependent on the oxygen storage capacity between the signal of the oxygen probe upstream and the signal of the oxygen probe downstream from the catalytic converter, determining of the phase shift which is dependent on the oxygen probe dynamics between the signal of the oxygen probe upstream and the signal of the oxygen probe downstream from the catalytic converter, and correcting the determined delay time between the signal of the oxygen probe upstream and the signal of the oxygen probe downstream from the catalytic converter by a determined phase shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Bodo Odendall
  • Publication number: 20110073085
    Abstract: A system includes a cylinder equivalence ratio (EQR) module, a location estimation module, a sensor module, and a fuel control module. The cylinder EQR module determines a first EQR corresponding to a first exhaust gas expelled from a first cylinder and determines a second EQR corresponding to a second exhaust gas expelled from a second cylinder. The location estimation module determines when the first and second exhaust gases mix in an exhaust manifold to form a third exhaust gas having a third EQR. The sensor module estimates an EQR of a fourth exhaust gas based on the third EQR. The fourth exhaust gas is located at an oxygen sensor in the exhaust manifold. The fuel control module controls an amount of fuel supplied to an engine based on a difference between the estimated EQR and an EQR corresponding to measurements from the oxygen sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Sai S.V. Rajagopalan, Jason Meyer, Shawn W. Midlam-Mohler, Kenneth P. Dudek, Stephen Yurkovich, Yann G. Guezennec
  • Publication number: 20110073086
    Abstract: A system for compensating for changes in behavior of an oxygen sensor. In one embodiment, the system includes an oxygen sensor configured to produce an output indicative of an oxygen level in an exhaust stream produced by an internal combustion engine. An electronic control unit receives the output of the oxygen sensor and is configured to cause the internal combustion engine to operate in an overrun mode. The electronic control unit is programmed or otherwise configured to determine whether a change in oxygen level over time is approximately zero. When the change in oxygen level is approximately zero or near zero, the electronic control unit determines a compensation factor for the oxygen sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Jan M.S. Bahlo, Dion Tims, Christine I. Wettig, Ulrich Seufert, Chai Kihyun
  • Patent number: 7900616
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust system, an oxygen sensor in the exhaust system and a sensor malfunction monitor. The sensor malfunction monitor measures a rate of change of a signal from the sensor on detecting a turning point of the signal and detects a malfunction when a rate of change of the signal exceeds a threshold. Alternatively, the sensor malfunction monitor measures a response time interval starting from a point in time at which a diagnostic function begins to force an air-fuel ratio to change (e.g., from lean-to-rich or rich-to-lean) and ends at a point in time when a turning point of the signal is detected. The sensor malfunction monitor detects a malfunction when the delay time of the response time interval, or average delay time from a plurality of measured response time intervals, exceeds a time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan Saunders
  • Patent number: 7885757
    Abstract: There is provided a dither control means that performs a dither control, which compulsively changes an air-fuel ratio alternately to rich side and to lean side by increasing and decreasing fuel injection quantity of an injector (fuel injection valve) in a stepped manner. A predicted value (ideal A/F value ID), which indicates an ideal change of a detection value of an A/F sensor (oxygen concentration sensor) in a case where the A/F sensor is not degraded, is set as a standard value. Then, an integral of a difference between the detection value of the A/F sensor, which changes in accordance with the dither control, and the standard value is calculated. If a calculated value of the integral is larger than a predetermined value, it is determined that the A/F sensor is degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiko Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20110023590
    Abstract: Methods for monitoring and detecting undesired exotherms which may occur in an exhaust aftertreatment system coupled to a lean burning combustion engine are described. In one particular approach, an undesired exotherm may be indicated based on an expected oxygen depletion along a length of an exhaust aftertreatment system in the direction of exhaust gas flow of exhaust gas. For example, during DPF regeneration, a certain amount of oxygen is expected to be utilized for removing soot. If less oxygen is actually found in the exhaust downstream of the exhaust system, then an undesired exotherm may be present, as unintended reductant may be present in the exhaust and reacting exothermically with oxygen. Various mitigation actions may then be initiated in response to the indication of an undesired exotherm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Jian Kong, Christopher Oberski, Norman Hiam Opolsky, Kirk Andrew Parrish, Jim Bromham
  • Patent number: 7874285
    Abstract: Depending on a trim controller diagnosis, a suspicion marker for an asymmetric ageing of the exhaust gas probe is allocated either a “true” value or a “false” value and, if the value of the suspicion marker is “true”, a dynamic diagnosis will be performed based on the exhaust gas probe's measuring signal, on the basis of the results of which diagnosis either an asymmetrically aged or a non-asymmetrically aged exhaust gas probe will be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Barnikow, Michaela Schneider, Norbert Sieber
  • Patent number: 7875459
    Abstract: Data on a secular change of each denitration catalyst is managed based on data obtained by a periodic maintenance and a daily management. Management of a secular change and prediction on performance variations that occur until a next periodic check is performed. It is determined whether the denitration catalyst is deteriorated such that an exhaust-gas denitration system cannot maintain its performance. When the denitration catalyst is deteriorated, regeneration, replacement, or addition of the denitration catalyst is performed, and the denitration catalyst is altered as necessary. When the denitration catalyst is usable, the denitration catalyst is not replaced nor regenerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: The Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimada, Yousuke Oka
  • Patent number: 7858380
    Abstract: A light modifying ceramic composition comprises an oxygen permeable sol-gel matrix and a lumophore held on the matrix. In particular, the lumophore of the invention is a hexanuclear molybdenum/tungsten core having 12 anionic ligands and two ligands that are uncharged. Uncharged ligands include organic nitriles, organic phosphines, and organic arsines. In one embodiment, the ceramic composition containing the lumophore and the sol-gel matrix is applied to the end of an optical fiber to provide a remote oxygen sensor. The sensors are useful for in situ biological monitoring of oxygen either in vivo or in vitro, and in time dependent control of combustion processes such as an automobile or power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Gregory L Baker, Ruby N Ghosh, D J Osborn, III
  • Patent number: 7818999
    Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure to determine the oxygen storage capability of an emission control system with an exhaust gas sensor with discrete-level ability disposed in front of the emission control system. If in a period of time before the determination of the oxygen storage capability, the control intervention of the exhaust gas sensor is ascertained, and if this mean value is taken into consideration when calculating the fuel-delivery control phase during the determination of the oxygen storage capability of the emission control system, or if this mean value is used to correct the lambda value used to calculate the amount of oxygen stored, an improved measuring accuracy can be achieved while using a cost effective discrete level sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Schnaibel, Christoph Woll, Klaus Hirschmann, Richard Hotzel, Magnus Labbe
  • Patent number: 7801670
    Abstract: To avoid potentially erroneous results, monitoring the operation of an oxygen sensor of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle to detect a slow response of the oxygen sensor as indicative of an oxygen sensor fault is temporarily suspended in response to a brake operation transition of a braking system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Richardson, Kenichi Fujiki
  • Publication number: 20100218487
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting faults with nitrogen oxides sensors used to detect the presence of nitrogen oxides in an exhaust effluent gas stream emitted from a combustion engine during its operation include providing a virtual nitrogen oxides sensor measurement compared with actual nitrogen oxides content measured by nitrogen oxides sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Ognyan N. Yanakiev, Ibrahim Haskara
  • Publication number: 20100212414
    Abstract: An abnormality determination apparatus for an oxygen sensor provided on the downstream side of a catalyst includes: a first determination portion that determines whether a rich-output continuation time during which output value of the oxygen sensor continues being an output value that shows a rich state before a fuel cut is started is longer than a set continuation time; a second determination portion that determines whether degree of change in the output value when the output value changes from a first reference value to a second reference value that shows a leaner state than the first reference value is more gradual than a set degree of change after the fuel cut is started; and a third determination portion that determines whether the oxygen sensor is abnormal based on determinations by the first determination portion the second determination portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7769534
    Abstract: A diagnostic system for an engine includes an oxygen detection module, a timing module and a control module. The oxygen detection module receives an oxygen signal from an oxygen sensor that detects an oxygen level in an exhaust system of the engine. The oxygen signal has N rich states and M lean states, where N and M are integers greater than or equal to 1. The timing module determines a rich period that the oxygen signal is in at least one of the N rich states and determines a lean period that the oxygen signal is in at least one of the M lean states. The control module detects an asymmetrical error with the oxygen sensor based on a comparison between the rich period and the lean period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Xu, Wenbo Wang, Vincent A. White, Richard H. Clutz, Douglas J. Moening
  • Patent number: 7762127
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for determining the composition of a fuel mixture from a first and at least a second fuel for operating a combustion engine, whereby the fuel mixtures of different compositions require various air/fuel ratios to achieve a stoichiometric combustion. Thereby it is provided that the air volume that has been delivered to the combustion engine, the fuel quantity that has been delivered and the oxygen content in the exhaust gas of the combustion engine are determined during one or several stationary operating phases of the combustion engine during one or several measuring phases, and in that the composition of the fuel mixture is determined from these values. The procedure allows an accurate and reliable determination of the composition of a fuel mixture for combustion engines that are operated in flex-fuel-mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Schneider, Heinz Fuchs
  • Publication number: 20100174455
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor device and method for a motor vehicle having an electrode within an outer shell for measuring oxygen in exhaust gas exiting the vehicle. A communication device, powered by a capacitor, wirelessly transmits the measured amount of oxygen from the electrode to a powertrain control module. Vibration transmitting from the motor vehicle shakes a magnet, wound inside a coil, for generating the electrical current used by the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Powell
  • Publication number: 20100154525
    Abstract: An oxygen sensor circuit comprises an oxygen sensor, a bias voltage module, and a switch module. The bias voltage module communicates with the oxygen sensor and generates a bias voltage. The switch module selectively connects the bias voltage module to the oxygen sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent A. White, Michael S. Emmorey, Paul E. Treumuth
  • Publication number: 20100139379
    Abstract: A sensor including a sensor element including a plurality of electrode terminals, terminal metal fittings, a terminal surrounding member, and lead wires connected to respective terminal metal fittings. The terminal surrounding member is divided into a front side surrounding member and a rear side surrounding member in the front-rear direction, and a rear end face of the front side surrounding member abuts a front end face of the rear side surrounding member. At least one of the terminal metal fittings includes a protruding piece portion protruding in a lateral direction and held between the rear end face of the front side surrounding member and the front end face of the rear side surrounding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto KUME, Noboru MATSUI
  • Publication number: 20100101303
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a gas concentration detection apparatus that is capable of forming an accurate activity judgment when a gas concentration detection cell begins to detect gas concentration with high accuracy. When warm-up begins at time t0 in a NOx concentration detection apparatus that achieves NOx concentration detection with a NOx sensor cell after excess oxygen is discharged by an oxygen pump cell, a NOx sensor cell output begins to rise at time t1. Subsequently, at time t2, an oxygen pump cell output begins to rise. An inflection point appearing in the NOx sensor cell output is then located. At time t5 at which the inflection point appears, an activity judgment about the NOx sensor cell is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takanori Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20100082297
    Abstract: An air/fuel imbalance (AFIM) diagnostic system comprises a first module, an imbalance determination module, and an imbalance diagnostic module. The first module outputs imbalance data samples based on an oxygen signal provided by an oxygen sensor measuring oxygen in exhaust expelled from cylinders of a cylinder bank. The imbalance determination module determines an AFIM value based on the imbalance data samples. The imbalance diagnostic module selectively diagnoses an AFIM in the cylinder bank based on the AFIM value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: RAYMOND CLAUDE TURIN, Andrew P. Bagnasco, Steven Ward Majors, Ian J. Mac Ewen
  • Publication number: 20100005872
    Abstract: A method for estimating the oxygen concentration in an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, an EGR system, a throttle valve, an air mass sensor for measuring a fresh air flow ({dot over (m)}thr) entering the intake manifold through the throttle valve, and cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nando VENNETTILLI, Massimiliano MAIRA
  • Publication number: 20100000984
    Abstract: An oxygen concentration sensor is disposed in an engine exhaust passageway. The alcohol concentration in the fuel used in the internal combustion engine is detected. A target impedance is set on the basis of the detected alcohol concentration. The actual impedance of a sensor element of the oxygen concentration sensor is detected. The heater output of the exhaust gas sensor is controlled so that the actual impedance becomes equal to the target impedance, whereby the temperature of the sensor element represented by the impedance becomes equal to a target temperature represented by the target impedance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Yoshihiro Ide
  • Publication number: 20090320577
    Abstract: A method for detecting faults in an air system of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold includes, but is not limited to the steps of measuring an oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold, estimating an intake oxygen control value in the intake manifold and estimating an intake oxygen reference value in the intake manifold based on said oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold. The method further includes, but is not limited to the steps of calculating an intake deviation value as a difference between the intake oxygen control value and the intake oxygen reference value and verifying if the intake deviation value is greater than a predetermined first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nando VENNETTILLI, Massimiliano MAIRA, Morena BRUNO
  • Publication number: 20090260429
    Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure and a device for diagnosing the dynamic of an exhaust gas sensor, which is arranged in an exhaust gas duct of a combustion engine and with which a parameter of the gas mixture that is supplied to the combustion engine is regulated by a control loop. It is thereby provided according to the invention that during a diagnosing period a temporal deflection of a regulation correcting variable for the parameter that is derived from an output signal of the exhaust gas sensor or a temporal course of the output signal of the exhaust gas sensor is used for the diagnosis and that the dynamic of the exhaust gas sensor is assumed in an evaluation algorithm. Thereby an improvement of the on-board diagnosis of the dynamic of the exhaust gas sensor can be achieved and in particular lambda probes, which provide a slowing down of their responding behavior, can be detected early on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: KERSTEN WEHMEIER, RONALDI RUSLI, ANDREAS KORING, RICHARD HOTZEL
  • Publication number: 20090229356
    Abstract: A NOx sensor abnormality detection device senses a NOx concentration and an O2 concentration from output signals of a NOx sensor and calculates an estimated NOx concentration from the O2 concentration when an engine is in a steady operation state, when a zero point of the NOx concentration is sensed, and when an O2 sensing section of the NOx sensor is normal. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device calculates a sensed inclination and an estimated inclination of a NOx concentration output characteristic of the NOx sensor based on the sensed NOx concentration, the sensed O2 concentration and the estimated NOx concentration calculated from the O2 concentration. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device determines that the NOx sensor is faulty when an absolute value of a difference between the sensed inclination and the estimated inclination is larger than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro KARIYA, Kanehito Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090223204
    Abstract: A sensor element for determining different gas components in a test gas, in particular in an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, including a lambda sensor for determining an oxygen content in the test gas, at least one semiconductor gas sensor for determining at least one further gas component in the test gas, and a multiplexer which is connected to the semiconductor gas sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Mario Roessler, Bernd Schumann, Berndt Cramer
  • Patent number: 7574905
    Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing malfunctioning which is applied to an internal combustion engine having a catalyst, an air-fuel ratio sensor, and an oxygen sensor is disclosed. The apparatus diagnoses whether the oxygen sensor is malfunctioning on the basis of a change in an output value of the oxygen sensor within a predetermined period of time after the output value has started changing towards a lean side after the start of fuel cutoff. The apparatus is provided with a first determination section and a second determination section. The first determination section determines whether fresh air has reached the air-fuel ratio sensor after the start of the fuel cutoff. The second determination section determines whether or not to carry out diagnosis of malfunctioning on the basis of the output value of the oxygen sensor immediately after the first determination section has determined that fresh air has reached the air-fuel ratio sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Toya
  • Publication number: 20090151437
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust system, an oxygen sensor in the exhaust system and a sensor malfunction monitor. The sensor malfunction monitor measures a rate of change of a signal from the sensor on detecting a turning point of the signal and detects a malfunction when a rate of change of the signal exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jonathan Saunders
  • Publication number: 20090145212
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a fuel tank, a supply line, a fuel injection rail and a number of fuel injectors. The fuel tank includes a fuel tank module which houses a fuel pump. The fuel pressure within the fuel injection system is monitored by a pressure sensor which is integrated into a quick connector between the fuel supply line and the fuel tank module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Powell
  • Publication number: 20090030592
    Abstract: A determining section integrates amount of oxygen that is stored in or released from a exhaust gas purifying catalyst from when a signal from an oxygen sensor is changed until when the signal is changed subsequently, thereby calculating an oxygen storage capacity. The determining section uses the calculated oxygen storage capacity to determine a deterioration state of the exhaust gas purifying catalyst. A limiting section sets, as an allowable change amount, a change amount of the air-fuel ratio that corresponds to an allowable maximum fluctuation amount of a torque of a output shaft of the engine. The limiting section limits a change of the target air-fuel ratio such that a change amount of the target air-fuel ratio due to a change of the signal does not exceed the allowable change amount. Therefore, a deterioration of a drivability while ensuring opportunities of detecting a deterioration of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noritake Mitsutani
  • Patent number: 7481104
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing the dynamic characteristics of a lambda sensor, which is used at least intermittently for a cylinder-individual lambda closed-loop control, which provides for at least one actuating variable of the lambda closed-loop control to be detected and compared to a specifiable maximum threshold, and, if the maximum threshold is exceeded, the dynamic response of the lambda sensor is deemed insufficient with respect to the usability for the cylinder-individual lambda closed-loop control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Schnaibel, Andreas Koring, Ruediger Deibert, Michael Daetz
  • Patent number: 7478553
    Abstract: In an excessive burn detection method for detecting an excessive burn during a regeneration process, in which particulates accumulated in a particulate filter arranged in an exhaust passage of a diesel engine are burned and removed for regenerating the particulate filter, an oxygen concentration in exhaust gas in the exhaust passage downstream of the particulate filter is measured in predetermined time intervals after the regeneration process starts and it is determined whether the excessive burn occurs by determining whether the measured oxygen concentration decreases with a predetermined tendency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20080314023
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the actual oxygen load of a 3-path catalyst of a lambda-controlled internal combustion engine, whereby a value for the actual oxygen load is calculated from the signal of a pre-catalyst lambda probe and the measured air mass flow rate by integration over time, whereby the post-catalyst lambda probe is initialized when the signal is interrupted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Wolf-Dieter Pohmerer, Volker Renz, Gerd Rosel, Milos Tichy
  • Patent number: 7444235
    Abstract: An engine exhaust sensor diagnostic system for an exhaust system including a catalyst and a post-catalyst oxygen sensor includes a first module that calculates a total integrated area based on a signal generated by the post-catalyst oxygen sensor. A second module compares the total integrated area to a threshold integrated area and generates a pass status signal when the total integrated area is less than the threshold integrated area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Anilovich, Thomas L. Ting, Zhong Wang, Justin F. Adams