Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Chao Sen Hsu

Paul Michael Suzio

Liang Tang

A method and apparatus for smoothing a throttle plate position command prior to being used by a closed loop throttle control unit. The method sequentially indexes through a lookup table storing a series of values of a smoothing function at routine time intervals. The difference between the current throttle plate command and the received throttle plate command is multiplied by the value of the smoothing function indexed from the lookup table. The product is then added to a reference throttle plate position command to generate a series of smoothed throttle plate position commands applied to the throttle control unit which provides smoother operation.

Input smoothing method and apparatus for an electronic throttle control

A method and system for initial and ongoing calibration of the absolute zero throttle plate reference position used in an electronic throttle control system. The method compensates for shifts in the absolute zero throttle plate reference position that occur as a result of aging, wear, and thermal expansion/contraction by monitoring the torque output from a position controller when the throttle is commanded to be at the zero position, and correcting absolute zero position information until the torque required to maintain the absolute zero position is within a window extending between zero and that torque required to overcome a spring pre-load.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Chao Sen Hsu