Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Chrysler Corporation

Chrysler Group LLC

Adaptive Materials, Inc.

Gregory L Ohl

Michael J Prucka

Timothy A Coatesworth

Mark J Duty

James W Yip

Eugenio DiValentin

Amit K Sanyal

Michael A Bonne

Chris D Kapolnek

Brian E Beechie

Daniel B Diebel

Denise M Kramer

Michael J Cari

Roger K Vick

Mikhail Zarkhin

Aaron T Crumm

Yi Cheng

Timothy LaBreche

Sven Merkle

Kerry D Franks

Zhong Li

Paul R Arlauskas

Richard A Kulas

Fadi S Kanafani

Michael Gorski

Nathan Ernst

Joel D Ball

Rajiv Saxena

Steve Wante

A skip shift device performance detecting method used to more accurately enable skip shift diagnostic execution in a manual transmission equipped vehicle where a skip shift has been requested and a transmission clutch remains engaged. Where a skip shift request ceases during clutch engagement, a timed loop is used to monitor if clutch disengagement occurs before the loop times out. Where clutch disengagement occurs before the loop times out, skip shift diagnostic execution is enabled. Where the loop times out before disengagement, skip shift diagnostic execution is disabled. Where the skip shift is requested and the clutch remains engaged, the skip shift request is monitored to determine whether it is withdrawn before clutch disengagement. If it is withdrawn before clutch disengagement, the aforementioned timed monitoring loop is executed. If it is not withdrawn before clutch disengagement, execution of the skip shift diagnostic is enabled.

Method for detecting the performance of a skip shift device

An aerial vehicle is configured to operate in a base fuel cell operating mode and a fuel cell boost operating mode. A method for controlling the aerial includes providing a base fuel cell upper power limit. The method further includes controlling the fuel cell power level below the base fuel cell upper power limit when the aerial vehicle is operating in the base fuel cell operating mode. The method further includes operating the fuel cell above the base upper fuel cell power limit when the aerial vehicle is operating in the fuel cell boost operating mode.

Method for managing power boost in a fuel cell powered aerial vehicle

A residual ratio factor characterizing the amount of residual exhaust gas left in a selected cylinder at the end of a piston intake stroke is determined from tabular and surface models based on previously gathered dynamometer data from a test vehicle at various engine speeds. The residual ratio factor is then used to calculate the mole fractions of air and residual exhaust gas in the selected cylinder, which, in turn, are used to determine mass airflow at an engine intake port at the end of the intake stroke. The mass airflow can then be used to derive further models for determining an engine operating parameter, such as fuel/air ratio, required for achieving at preselected vehicle operating condition.

Method for controlling an operating condition of a vehicle engine

A gear ratio selection method for a transmission in a motor vehicle includes detecting a power request, detecting a vehicle speed of the motor vehicle, and providing an engine speed of the motor vehicle. A first desired engine speed is calculated from a first variogram using the power request and the vehicle speed. A second desired engine speed is calculated from a second variogram using the power request and the vehicle speed. A blend factor is determined from the power request, the vehicle speed, and the engine speed. Finally, a blended desired engine speed is calculated from the first desired engine speed, the second desired engine speed, and the blend factor. The blended desired engine speed is used to determine a gear ratio for the continuously variable transmission.

Ratio selection method for a continuously variable transmission

A method for estimating an output torque generated by a multi-displacement engine operating in a partial-displacement mode includes multiplying a measure representing a mass air flow through the engine's intake manifold by a engine-speed-based mass-air-flow-to-torque conversion factor, and thereafter summing the product with a torque offset value likewise based on engine speed data, to obtain a base indicated potential output torque. The base indicated potential output torque is then multiplied with a torque-based efficiency conversion factor representing at least one of a partial-displacement mode spark efficiency, fuel-air-ratio efficiency, and exhaust gas recirculation efficiency, and the resulting product is summed with a torque-based frictional loss measure to obtain the desired estimated engine output torque. The estimated engine output torque is particularly useful in determining whether a transition from the partial-displacement engine operating mode to a full-displacement engine operating mode is desired.

Airflow-based output torque estimation for multi-displacement engine

A method for controlling airflow in an intake manifold of a multiple-displacement engine during an engine displacement mode transition includes determining, before a displacement mode transition, a post-transition mass air flow rate necessary to maintain a pre-transition engine torque output, as well as an airflow transient multiplier based on engine speed and an estimated post-transition manifold air pressure. After multiplying the requested mass air flow rate with the transient multiplier, the resulting compensated requested mass air flow rate is divided by a maximum mass air flow rate to obtain a requested percent airflow. The percent airflow is thereafter used with engine speed to determine a requested post-transition manifold air pressure-to-barometric pressure ratio, for example, using a lookup table; and the requested post-transition pressure ratio is used to determine a transient post-transition throttle position, to which an engine throttle will be moved upon initiating the displacement mode transition.

Airflow control for multiple-displacement engine during engine displacement transitions

A method for characterizing an air flow target within an internal combustion engine. The method includes determining an air mass flow rate target, determining an engine speed term, and processing these terms to obtain an air flow target. The air flow target can be used as an input for vehicle controllers including those for controlling pressurized induction systems.

Air flow target determination

A method for characterizing an air mass flow rate target within an internal combustion engine. The method includes determining a reference air mass flow rate term, determining a predicted compressibility term, and processing these terms to determine an air mass flow rate target. The air mass flow rate term can be used as an input for vehicle controllers including those for controlling pressurized induction systems.

Air mass flow rate determination

A method is provided for controlling power units of a vehicle powertrain for optimizing their respective efficiencies, thereby optimizing an overall vehicle efficiency. The method includes the steps of determining an efficiency of a power unit, determining present operational data of the power unit, determining a torque to be provided to the vehicle powertrain, determining a plurality of optimization constraints as a function of the torque to be provided, the present operational data and the efficiency of the power unit, determining an optimized operation mode of the power unit as a function of the optimization constraints and the present operational data of the power unit, and manipulating the power unit to operate in the optimized operation mode.

Efficiency-based engine, powertrain and vehicle control

A method is provided for determining the barometric pressure external to an air intake of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a pressure value indicative of an absolute pressure in the intake manifold of the engine; (b) providing a mass airflow value of the airflow into the engine; (c) characterizing a pressure drop across the intake system based on the mass airflow value; and (d) determining a barometric pressure based on the pressure value and the pressure drop, such that the pressure drop is indicative of the pressure differential between the atmospheric pressure and the pressure in the intake manifold. Furthermore, the determination of the barometric pressure may be triggered when the throttle blade reaches a predetermined throttle threshold position which is a function of the rotational speed of the engine.

Method of determining barometric pressure for use in an internal combustion engine

A method for characterizing the friction losses within an internal combustion engine includes determining a start-up friction term, a mechanical friction term, a pumping loss term, and an adapted friction term to compensate for long-term frictional changes in the engine. A total engine frictional loss is determined by summing the start-up friction term, the mechanical friction term, the pumping loss term and the adapted friction term.

Engine friction characterization

A method for stabilizing the idle of an engine for a motor vehicle includes determining an engine rotational speed, modifying the engine rotational speed to define a friction engine speed, estimating a mechanical friction loss as a function of the friction engine speed, defining a torque request as a function of the mechanical friction loss and utilizing the torque request to control the engine at idle.

Stabilizing function for torque based idle control

A method is provided for accommodating the purge vapors from an evaporative emission control system of an automotive vehicle. The method includes a means of learning the bank-to-bank distribution of purge vapors within the engine manifold. As such, the fuel to air ratio delivered from various injectors can be selectively controlled to accommodate the purge vapor at that bank of the engine and maintain the desired fuel to air ratio.

Method of determining distribution of vapors in the intake manifold of a banked engine

A method is provided for injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine. The method includes providing the engine with a plurality of fuel injectors, each including an electromechanical mechanism for receiving fuel under pressure via a fuel supply system and for injecting a measured amount of fuel into the engine in response to a command signal whose duration is indicative of the amount of fuel to be injected. The command signal is determined based upon a measured throttle position, engine speed and engine load. A resistance of a solenoid coil of the electromechanical mechanism is then calculated and the command signal is adjusted by incrementing or decrementing the command signal to compensate for variations in the measured resistance of the solenoid coil of electromechanical mechanism due to temperature variations.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Gregory L Ohl