Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080257026 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING INTAKE AIR MASS - A method for determining intake air mass into the engine includes equipping an air intake system with an air meter system configured to generate a signal output having a cycle period correlatable to an intake air mass. The signal output from the air meter system is monitored during an event, and successive cycle periods of the signal output from the air meter system are determined. Intake air mass for each of the successive cycle periods is determined and integrated. | 10-23-2008 |
20080272926 | Absolute angular position sensing system based on radio frequency identification technology - A system for determining the position of a rotating wheel using RFID. In one embodiment, the system includes a position sensing wheel mounted to one or both of a crankshaft and a camshaft in the engine. A plurality of RFID tags are disposed at predetermined intervals around the wheel, and an RFID transceiver is positioned proximate the wheel. As the wheel rotates, the RFID transceiver transmits a signal that interrogates the RFID tags, which then transmit a coded signal to the transceiver identifying the wheel's position relative to the transceiver. Therefore, regardless of the position of the wheel, the RFID transceiver can interrogate the closest RFID tag and immediately know the position of the engine so that an engine controller can provide fuel and spark to the cylinders as soon as possible. | 11-06-2008 |
20080276910 | FUEL PRESSURE BOOST METHOD AND APPARATUS - An apparatus for providing pressurized fuel for an engine includes an engine starting apparatus including an electric motor operative to crank the engine and a fuel pump operatively coupled to the electric motor. | 11-13-2008 |
20090012693 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING MASS AIR FLOW - A system and method comprises receiving a mass air flow signal having a frequency that varies based on mass air flow in an intake manifold of an engine, determining first period data from the mass air flow signal, deriving first mass data for the mass air flow signal based on the first period data, cumulating the first period data and the first mass data for N cylinder events, wherein N is an integer greater than 1, and calculating a mass air flow between the N cylinder events from the cumulated first period data and the cumulated first mass data. | 01-08-2009 |
20090064663 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TEMPERATURE IN A GAS FEEDSTREAM - An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas feedstream flowing past a gas sensing device disposed therein. The gas sensor includes an integrated electrical heating element which provides a resistance indicative of its temperature. An unknown input observer is used to determine the exhaust gas feedstream temperature based on the heating element temperature. | 03-12-2009 |
20090107442 | HIGH PRESSURE PISTON PUMP ACTUATING SYSTEM USING AUTOMOTIVE STARTER SYSTEM - An apparatus for providing pressurized fuel for an engine includes an electric motor operative to crank said engine, a fuel pump, and a gear reduction device. This gear reduction device includes a worm and worm wheel and operates to receive a high speed input from said electric motor and to deliver a low speed output to said fuel pump. | 04-30-2009 |
20090193795 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING AN AFTERTREATMENT DEVICE FOR A SPARK-IGNITION DIRECT-INJECTION ENGINE - The disclosure sets forth operating a spark-ignition, direct-fuel injection internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust aftertreatment system including a lean-NOx adsorber device. The engine is operated substantially un-throttled and at a lean air/fuel ratio and a first fuel pulse is injected to meet an engine output torque during a compression stroke of each engine cycle prior to a spark-ignition event. When regeneration of the lean-NOx adsorber device is commanded, a second fuel pulse is injected during a second engine stroke of each engine cycle. | 08-06-2009 |
20090198431 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING MODE TRANSITION IN A SPARK-IGNITION DIRECT-INJECTION INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - The disclosure sets forth operating a spark-ignition, direct-fuel injection internal combustion engine, including transitioning the engine from operating in a stratified charge combustion mode to operating in a homogeneous charge combustion mode. External EGR flow is discontinued, and an in-cylinder trapped air mass and an in-cylinder EGR mass in an air intake system of the engine are estimated. Engine throttle position is controlled to achieve trajectories for air/fuel ratio and the in-cylinder EGR mass determined based upon the estimated in-cylinder trapped air mass and the in-cylinder EGR mass in the air intake system. A double-injection fueling strategy and a single-injection fueling are used during the transition. | 08-06-2009 |
20100018505 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING STOP-AND-GO ENGINE FUNCTIONALITY - A vehicle includes a direct-start engine and a fuel rail with a threshold fuel pressure, a transmission having a threshold fluid pressure, and a fuel delivery system. The system has a controller, a motor having a shaft, and an integrated pump assembly including a high-pressure (HP) fuel pump and a low-pressure (LP) fluid pump each connected to the shaft. Threshold pressures are maintained during the predetermined engine state, which includes an engine idling and an engine cranking state. A method for providing stop-and-go functionality in a vehicle having a direct-start engine includes detecting a current engine state, rotating a motor shaft to energize a secondary HP fuel pump at a first threshold pressure during engine cranking, and rotating the shaft to energize an LP fluid pump at a second threshold pressure during engine idling and engine cranking. The secondary pumps can also be used when primary pumps are temporarily inoperable. | 01-28-2010 |
20100082219 | Engine Using Glow Plug Resistance For Estimating Combustion Temperature - An internal combustion engine includes an engine block defining at least one cylinder therein. A cylinder head is attached to the engine block and defines a combustion chamber with the at least one cylinder in the engine block. A piston is disposed within the at least one cylinder. A glow plug is disposed within the combustion chamber. A resistance of the glow plug is detected and an estimated combustion temperature is determined based upon the detected resistance of the glow plug. The engine is then controlled based upon the estimated combustion temperature established from the glow plug resistance. | 04-01-2010 |
20100100301 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING STOP-AND-GO ENGINE FUNCTIONALITY - A vehicle includes a direct start engine, an automatic transmission having a threshold fluid pressure sufficient for enabling operation of the transmission when the engine is off, a controller, and a fuel delivery system. The controller determines the presence of predetermined engine states, and optimizes a stop-and-go functionality of the engine. The fuel delivery system includes a motor and an integrated pump assembly having a secondary high-pressure (HP) fuel pump which is selectively connectable to a rotatable shaft of the motor, and a secondary low-pressure (LP) fluid pump which is continuously connected to the shaft. The motor continuously energizes the secondary LP fluid pump via the rotatable shaft to thereby maintain the threshold fluid pressure during a first or second engine state, and selectively energizes the secondary HP fuel pump via the rotatable shaft to maintain the threshold fuel pressure during the second engine state. | 04-22-2010 |
20100228462 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING ENGINE BRAKE TORQUE IN REAL TIME - A method and system for controlling an engine function includes a deflection determination module generating a clutch deflection signal. The system further includes an engine function module controlling an engine function in response to the clutch deflection signal. The clutch deflection signal may be generated by sensors associated with the transmission shaft such as within the clutch housing or the friction disk. | 09-09-2010 |
20100308799 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING ROTATIONAL SPEED AND POSITION OF A ROTATING DEVICE - A system includes a transceiver module and a rotating device. The transceiver module generates an electromagnetic (EM) field using an antenna. The rotating device includes N transponders arranged such that each of the N transponders passes through the EM field during one revolution of the rotating device. Each of the N transponders damps the EM field when passing through the EM field. The transceiver module determines a rotational speed of the rotating device based on a number of times the EM field is damped during a period. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. | 12-09-2010 |
20110038394 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TEMPERATURE IN A GAS FEEDSTREAM - An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas feedstream flowing past a gas sensing device disposed therein. The gas sensor includes an integrated electrical heating element which provides a resistance indicative of its temperature. An unknown input observer is used to determine the exhaust gas feedstream temperature based on the heating element temperature. | 02-17-2011 |
20110106412 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SPARK PLUG FOULING - A control module and method for controlling an engine operation includes a runtime module that determines a previous run period, a fuel mass module that determines a fuel mass during the previous run period, a spark fouling condition estimation module that determines a spark fouling condition based on the fuel mass during the previous run period and an engine operation module that controls the engine in response to the spark fouling condition. | 05-05-2011 |
20110290212 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVED ENGINE START-STOP RESPONSE - A control system for a vehicle that includes an engine includes an engine-stop module and a fuel control module. The engine-stop module determines whether to stop the engine based on at least one of input from a driver of the vehicle and vehicle operating parameters. The fuel control module stops the engine and controls a rate of engine speed decay by disabling fueling to cylinders of the engine according to a predetermined sequence. | 12-01-2011 |
20110290214 | ENGINE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An engine control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle, comprising: an actuator control module, a correction determination module, and a spark adjustment module. The actuator control module determines a target spark timing for a first time that is between a second time when engine cranking begins and a third time when a measured engine speed becomes greater than a predetermined engine speed after the second time. The correction determination module determines a spark timing correction for the first time based on a target engine speed and a measured engine speed. The spark adjustment module sets a spark timing for the first time based on the target spark timing and the spark timing correction. | 12-01-2011 |
20110290216 | VEHICLE ROLLBACK CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle includes a transmission load module, a target engine speed module, and an actuator control module. The transmission load module determines a load imposed on an engine through a transmission. The target engine speed module selectively determines a target engine speed during an engine startup event based on the load. The actuator control module controls at least one engine actuator based on the target engine speed during the engine startup event. | 12-01-2011 |
20110295474 | TRANSMISSION LOAD PREDICTING SYSTEM FOR A STOP-START SYSTEM AND A HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE - An engine system of a vehicle includes an engine torque module. The engine torque module determines an engine output torque profile including predicted torque outputs based on an accelerator signal and an engine state variable. A load control module determines a dynamic transmission load profile based on the engine output torque profile and an engine speed profile. The dynamic transmission load profile includes transmission loads as a function of engine speed during an auto-start of an engine. A compensation module generates a torque compensation signal based on the dynamic transmission load profile. An actuator module compensates for a change in a transmission load based on the torque compensation signal and during a transition of the engine from a cranking state to an idle state. | 12-01-2011 |
20110295483 | CYLINDER AIR MASS PREDICTION SYSTEMS FOR STOP-START AND HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES - An engine system includes a first module that determines a cylinder of an engine to be in one of M prediction types and generates a distance from intake signal indicating a number of prediction steps the cylinder is away from an intake stroke. M is an integer greater than or equal to 3. A second module determines a cycle type of the cylinder. The cycle type indicates a number of combustion cycles the cylinder has experienced from a last restart of the engine. A cylinder air charge module estimates an air mass within the cylinder based on the distance from intake signal and the cycle type. | 12-01-2011 |
20110295489 | SELECTIVE CYLINDER DISABLEMENT CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An engine control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle includes a mode control module and an actuator control module. The mode control module selectively initiates an engine startup event when an engine startup command is generated. The actuator control module cranks an engine during the engine startup event, provides fuel to a first cylinder of the engine while the engine is being cranked, and selectively disables fuel to a second cylinder of the engine while the engine is being cranked. The second cylinder is after the first cylinder in a firing order. | 12-01-2011 |
20110295494 | CONTROLLED ENGINE SHUTDOWN SYSTEM FOR A STOP-START SYSTEM AND A HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE - An engine system includes a stop-start module that generates a shut down signal to shut down an engine. A friction module that generates a friction signal based on the engine shut down signal. The friction signal indicates an estimate of a sum of friction forces between components of the engine. A position module estimates a position of the engine and generates a position signal. An energy module estimates kinetic energy of the engine based on the friction signal and the position signal. A cylinder deactivation module stops the engine based on the kinetic energy in at least one of (i) a predetermined position and (ii) a predetermined range. | 12-01-2011 |
20110295495 | INTAKE MANIFOLD REFILL AND HOLDING CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An engine control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle includes an auto-stop/start module and an actuator control module. The auto-stop/start module selectively generates an auto-stop command for shutting down an engine while an ignition is in an ON state. The actuator control module disables fuel to the engine when the auto-stop command is generated and closes a throttle valve to a predetermined throttle opening when the auto-stop command is generated. | 12-01-2011 |
20120010802 | METHOD FOR STARTING AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITHIN A HYBRID POWERTRAIN - A hybrid powertrain includes an internal combustion engine, an electro-mechanical transmission and an electric machine. In an engine starting routine, flow control devices located proximate each combustion chamber in the engine initially restrict airflow into the cylinders to allow for a starter motor to rotate the engine at lower expansion and compression torque whereafter rotation of the engine is transitioned to the electric machine. | 01-12-2012 |