Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090066337 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING VALVE DEGRADATION - A method for determining degraded valve operation. According to the method, valve degradation can be determined from the duration of a spark event. This method allows for the determination of both intake and exhaust valve degradation. | 03-12-2009 |
20090101114 | Internal Combustion Engine Having Common Power Source For Ion Current Sensing and Fuel Injectors - A system and method for controlling operation of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having fuel injectors and an ionization current sensor include a high-voltage power supply connectable to, and supplying substantially the same nominal boosted voltage relative to nominal battery voltage to, the fuel injectors and ionization sensor during at least a portion of the engine operation. | 04-23-2009 |
20090107457 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH MULTIPLE SPARK PLUGS PER CYLINDER AND ION CURRENT SENSING - A system and method for operating a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having at least two spark plugs per cylinder include selectively isolating all but one spark plug associated with the cylinder at least during an ionization current sensing period to reduce or eliminate interference among ionization current signals flowing through more than one spark plug. | 04-30-2009 |
20100057324 | Ignition Energy Management With Ion Current Feedback To Correct Spark Plug Fouling - A system and method for operating an engine having ionization signal sensing include detecting plug fouling and controlling the engine using progressively more aggressive control strategies if the fouling condition persists. A first control strategy may be used when the number of engine starts or running time are below corresponding thresholds and a second strategy otherwise. The first strategy may employ progressively more aggressive control procedures to eliminate spark plug deposits that may include repetitive sparking, exhaust cycle sparking, increasing engine loading, advancing spark timing, increasing air/fuel ratio, and increasing idle speed, for example. The second strategy may include similar corrective actions employed in a different order and/or to a lesser degree in an attempt to eliminate plug fouling without any noticeable change in engine operation or performance as perceived by the vehicle operator. The control strategies may be applied to individual cylinders, cylinder banks, or all cylinders. | 03-04-2010 |
20100057327 | Engine Combustion Control Using Ion Sense Feedback - A system and method for operating an engine having at least two spark plugs per cylinder include controlling at least one actuator to alter combustion within a selected cylinder such that the combustion burn rate determined by ion sense current signals associated with the at least two spark plugs of the selected cylinder approaches a desired combustion burn rate. A desired combustion burn rate is determined based on current engine/vehicle operating and ambient conditions with ion sense signals from each spark plug analyzed to determine combustion timing relative to corresponding ignition timing. Ignition timing and/or other actuators are controlled in response to provide a desired combustion burn rate. | 03-04-2010 |
20100206267 | Combustion Control Using Ion Sense Feedback And Multi-Strike Spark To Manage High Dilution And Lean AFR - A system and method for operating a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having at least one actuator for controlling charge dilution of at least one cylinder and at least one spark plug per cylinder include attempting to improve combustion quality by modifying ignition energy of the at least one spark plug before modifying charge dilution of the cylinder, and modifying both ignition energy and charge dilution substantially simultaneously to establish combustion if an ionization sense signal associated with the cylinder indicates a misfire. | 08-19-2010 |
20100288037 | Method for Determining Valve Degradation - A method for determining degraded valve operation. According to the method, valve degradation can be determined from the duration of a spark event. This method allows for the determination of both intake and exhaust valve degradation. | 11-18-2010 |
20110087422 | Internal Combustion Engine Having Common Power Source For Ion Current Sensing and Fuel Injectors - An electrical power system for an engine powered at least in part by a battery having a battery voltage and including a fuel injector and at least one ionization sensor includes at least one common power supply connected to the fuel injector and the ionization sensor and supplying a voltage higher than the battery voltage for operation of the fuel injector and the ionization sensor at least during an ionization sensing period after spark discharge. | 04-14-2011 |
20110132283 | Ignition Control for Reformate Engine - During operation of a spark ignition engine, an ignition system produces an output (e.g., breakdown voltage, peak secondary coil current, and spark duration) used to combust a charge (e.g., mixture of air and fuel) in an engine cylinder. Ignition output is important to consider in engines including a second fuel with high ignitability, for example in engines with a fuel reformer system. Example methods, devices and systems are included for adjusting ignition output. | 06-09-2011 |
20110144881 | ENGINE CONTROL USING SPARK RESTRIKE/MULTI-STRIKE - Systems and methods for controlling an internal combustion engine include determining presence of charge dilution and selecting a spark restrike mode to provide multiple spark events during a single combustion cycle. Charge dilution may be determined based on commanded air/fuel ratio and exhaust gas recirculation, for example. Multiple spark events may be controlled using time-based restrike or current-based restrike in response to one or more operating parameters or conditions. | 06-16-2011 |
20120150415 | Ion Sense and Control for Ignition Energy Management - A system and method for operating an engine having ionization signal sensing include detecting plug fouling and controlling the engine using progressively more aggressive control strategies if the fouling condition persists. A first control strategy may be used when the number of engine starts or running time are below corresponding thresholds and a second strategy otherwise. The first strategy may employ progressively more aggressive control procedures to eliminate spark plug deposits that may include repetitive sparking, exhaust cycle sparking, increasing engine loading, advancing spark timing, increasing air/fuel ratio, and increasing idle speed, for example. The second strategy may include similar corrective actions employed in a different order and/or to a lesser degree in an attempt to eliminate plug fouling without any noticeable change in engine operation or performance as perceived by the vehicle operator. The control strategies may be applied to individual cylinders, cylinder banks, or all cylinders. | 06-14-2012 |
20120240872 | Ignition Control for Reformate Engine - During operation of a spark ignition engine, an ignition system produces an output (e.g., breakdown voltage, peak secondary coil current, and spark duration) used to combust a charge (e.g., mixture of air and fuel) in an engine cylinder. Ignition output is important to consider in engines including a second fuel with high ignitability, for example in engines with a fuel reformer system. Example methods, devices and systems are included for adjusting ignition output. | 09-27-2012 |
20130245921 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENGINE AIR CONTROL - Methods and systems are provided for reducing idling torque imbalances between cylinders by actuating a common camshaft to which the cylinders are coupled. The camshaft may be adjusted within camshaft limits during each combustion event of each cylinder. In this way, idling NVH issues may be addressed. | 09-19-2013 |
20140000552 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRE-IGNITION CONTROL | 01-02-2014 |
20140000555 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRE-IGNITION CONTROL | 01-02-2014 |
20140000557 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRE-IGNITION CONTROL | 01-02-2014 |
20140075976 | CHARGE AIR COOLER CONDENSATION CONTROL - Embodiments for controlling condensate in a charge air cooler are provided. One example method for an engine comprises cooling intake air through a charge air cooler and adjusting a vibration device of the charge air cooler based on charge air cooler condensation conditions. | 03-20-2014 |
20140102412 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING SPARK TO AN ENGINE - A system and method for delivering spark to an engine is disclosed. In one example, a single conductor carries a spark signal that is indicative of a desired spark advance for a plurality of ignition coils. The system and method may reduce wiring complexity for spark plugs that are supplied energy via two ignition coils. | 04-17-2014 |
20140158096 | INTERCOOLER CONDENSATE TO SUMP OR POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION FLOW - Methods and systems are provided for removing condensate from a charge air cooler. Condensate may be drained from the charge air cooler and introduced into a positive crankcase ventilation flow or an engine oil sump. Introducing condensate into the engine oil sump may be controlled based on conditions of the engine oil sump and stored condensate. | 06-12-2014 |
20140288808 | AUTOMATIC ENGINE DE-CHOKING - A method may comprise automatically de-choking an engine and cranking the engine in response to an engine flood event, wherein automatically de-choking the engine comprises automatically cutting fuel to the engine while opening an air intake throttle. | 09-25-2014 |
20140343827 | VARIABLE DISPLACEMENT ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - Methods and systems are provided for adjusting an ignition energy provided to an engine cylinder upon reactivation from a VDE mode of operation. Ignition energy is increased by increasing an ignition coil dwell time and/or an ignition coil strike frequency. The increased ignition energy improves combustion stability during the transition out of the VDE mode of operation. | 11-20-2014 |
20140360476 | DUAL COIL IGNITION SYSTEM - A dual coil ignition system is provided. The dual coil ignition system includes a first inductive ignition coil including a first primary winding and a first secondary winding, and a second inductive ignition coil including a second primary winding and a second secondary winding, the second secondary winding connected in series to the first secondary winding. The dual coil ignition system further includes a diode network including a first diode and a second diode connected between the first secondary winding and the second secondary winding. | 12-11-2014 |
20140366845 | METHOD FOR OPERATING A DIRECT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM - A method, comprising: during engine cylinder operation with fuel from a first injector and not a second injector: increasing a rail pressure of a fuel rail coupled to the second injector in response to a temperature increase of a tip of the second injector. In this way, by raising the rail pressure of a fuel rail coupled to the second injector in response to a temperature increase of a tip of the second injector, the method may be utilized to prevent a vapor space from forming within the tip of the second injector which is exposed to the heat of combustion within the engine cylinder. By preventing a vapor space from forming, the method may be used to prevent fuel distillation in the tip of the second injector during periods where the engine cylinder is operating with fuel from a first injector and not the second injector. | 12-18-2014 |
20150025723 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR OPERATING AN ENGINE - Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, engine operation is adjusted in response to a change in engine operating conditions that result in a fractional amount of cylinder charge comprised of exhaust gas changing by more than a threshold percentage. The approaches describe may improve vehicle drivability and fuel economy. | 01-22-2015 |