Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Daniel Lee McKay

Gary Arthur Nichols

Amanpal S Grewal

Jeffrey M Pfeiffer

Gerard Wladyslaw Malaczynski

James Patrick Waters

Daniel George Gauthier

Martin M&uuml;ller

Charles Irwin Rackmil

Carelton Williams Guillaume

Joshua J Titus

A system and method for identifying the cylinders having the lowest ('weakest') and highest ('strongest') Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP) utilizes engine speed derivative and/or higher order derivative values typically available in an engine control module by virtue of the need to detect misfire. A delta parameter is calculated that is indicative of the difference between the engine speed derivatives and/or higher order derivatives for the &#x201c;weakest&#x201d; and the &#x201c;strongest&#x201d; cylinders. Control action is then taken to balance the cylinders, based on the delta parameter, by first increasing torque for the &#x201c;weakest&#x201d; cylinder, by at least one increasing spark advance, increasing fuel, decreasing dilution (EGR) or slowing decay of fuel control on cold start. Once the weakest cylinder has been balanced, the control action is then directed to increasing torque of the new &#x201c;weakest&#x201d; cylinder.

Method for low and high IMEP cylinder identification for cylinder balancing

A method for inferring Indicated Mean Effective Pressure as total transient indicated engine torque in an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of acquiring at least one crankshaft time stamp for use in determining a cylinder-specific engine velocity; calculating an incremental change in engine kinetic energy from the previously fired cylinder (j&#x2212;1) to the currently fired (j) cylinder using the cylinder-specific engine velocity; equating the incremental change in engine kinetic energy to a change in energy-averaged cylinder torque (IMEP) from the previously-fired (j&#x2212;1) to a currently-fired (j) cylinder; summing a plurality of the incremental changes in engine kinetic energy over time to determine a value of the transient component of indicated torque; determining a value of the quasi-steady indicated engine torque; and adding the value of transient component of indicated torque to the value of quasi-steady indicated engine torque to yield the Indicated Mean Effective Pressure.

Method for estimation of indicated mean effective pressure for individual cylinders from crankshaft acceleration

An electronic throttle control system and method for detecting a throttle plate obstruction when the ignition key is on and the engine is either not running or running, and for clearing the throttle plate obstruction before a fault setting is set by the ECU.

Method for sensing and clearing throttle plate obstruction

A method for controlling dual independent camshaft phasers in an internal combustion engine. The method has three basic steps: a) first, determining if rate balancing between the two phasers is required; b) second, determining the optimal rate balancing commands; and c) third, applying the determined rate balancing commands to the appropriate phaser(s). In determining the rate balancing commands, there are three possible phaser options: the intake phaser requires priority; the exhaust phaser requires priority; or neither phaser requires priority. Lookup tables are stored in the engine controller for each option. When either phaser has priority, the other phaser is actuated after a delay based upon the position error of the priority phaser, generally at a lower phase rate. When neither phaser has priority, both phasers are actuated at a rate consistent with oil-delivery capabilities of the engine.

Rate limiting and balancing control system for dual independent camshaft phasing

An electronic throttle control system and method which prevents obstructions from forming around a throttle plate during engine soak.

ETC control system and method

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to control the rate of change of the variable cam phasing system during transient engine operating conditions. It does this primarily to maintain combustion stability. The invention controls the rate of change of the variable cam phasing system based upon the operating point of the engine, the desired operating point of the engine, and the rate of change of the variable cam phasing system necessary to maintain combustion stability.

Method and apparatus for controlling a variable valve system for an internal combustion engine

The present invention provides an improvement over conventional engine controls by providing a method and system that operates a variable valve system immediately subsequent to engine start, and disengages the variable valve system when engine performance is unacceptable. If the variable valve system is disengaged after engine start due to poor engine performance, a time delay occurs to allow the engine to create a sufficient amount of oil pressure to operate the variable valve system.

Method and apparatus to control a variable valve system

The present invention is a method and apparatus to clean an oil control valve for use by an internal combustion engine. The invention causes the oil control valve to execute a cleaning routine when specific entrance criteria are met. This ensures cleaning of the valve to remove contaminants that are wedged, pinched or otherwise trapped on the valve, without interference in the operation of the engine.

Method and apparatus for cleaning an oil control valve for an internal combustion engine

A system ( ) for controllably disabling cylinders in an internal combustion engine ( ) includes a throttle ( ) controlling air flow to an intake manifold ( ), a number of cylinder deactivation devices ( ) and an engine controller ( ) controlling fueling ( ), ignition timing ( ) and throttle position ( ). The controller ( ) is operable to activate only the minimum number of cylinders required to achieve a desired engine/vehicle operating parameter value, open the throttle ( ) to a computed throttle position, control ignition timing sufficiently to drive the current value of the engine/vehicle operating parameter to the desired engine/vehicle operating parameter value, and to then control the flow area of the throttle ( ) while also controlling ignition timing to maintain the current value of the engine/vehicle operating parameter near the desired engine/vehicle operating parameter value. The engine/vehicle operating parameter may be engine output torque, engine speed or vehicle speed.

System for controllably disabling cylinders in an internal combustion engine

An exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR) system is provided for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine. The EGR system includes an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, a passageway connected in flow communication between the exhaust manifold and the intake manifold, and an EGR valve interposed in the passageway for controlling re-circulation of exhaust gas into the intake manifold. In addition, an emissions control device (e.g., a catalytic converter) for reducing exhaust emissions in the gas flowing into the intake manifold is connected in flow communication with the EGR valve.

Exhaust gas re-circulation system with an integrated catalytic converter

An improved engine torque management control that coordinates engine throttle, spark and EGR under predefined highly throttled conditions so as to maximize the fuel economy improvement of EGR without degrading engine performance. Under the predefined conditions, EGR is increased to a level that maximizes the fuel economy improvement without causing combustion instability, and the throttle position and spark timing are controlled to compensate for the anticipated torque loss while increasing volumetric efficiency and reducing pumping losses. During idle and steady state cruising operation, EGR is increased, and engine throttle position is controlled to regulate the estimated engine output torque in accordance with the driver requested output torque. During transient torque increases, throttle control alone is used to regulate the output torque, while in transient torque decreases, the throttle position is maintained and spark timing is used to regulate the output torque.

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Brighton, MI, United States of America

Daniel Lee McKay