Continental Automotive Gmbh

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Vitesco Technologies Gmbh

Vitesco Technologies Usa, LLC

Harry Schüle

Michael Joseph Hornby

Markus Stutika

Gerd Rösel

Perry Robert Czimmek

Georg Bachmaier

Manfred Weigl

Achim Koch

Randolf Mock

Klaus Bayerle

Matthias Gerlich

Johannes Beer

Erhard Magori

Gerit Ebelsberger

Stefan Treinies

Douglas Edward Cosby

Michael Höge

Steffen Gessner

Waldemar Schneider

Lamproula Charmpa

Stephan Kronenberg

Markus Ströhla

Some embodiments may include a system for determining a filling level of a fuel situated in a fuel tank comprising: an air pump; a valve; a pressure sensor; a control unit; a timing element; and a control unit. The control unit may be programmed to actuate the valve to close the fuel tank and subsequently actuate the air pump to increase a pressure in the fuel tank until an upper threshold is reached. The timing element may determine the time required for the pressure to reach the upper threshold. The control unit may calculate the filling level of the fuel based on the time taken to reach the upper threshold.

System for determining a filling level in a fuel tank

A method is provided for detecting autoignition in a spark-ignited internal combustion engine, wherein values for the combustion chamber pressure are measured during a compression stroke of the internal combustion engine at defined crankshaft angles within an evaluation window, a filtered pressure value is determined from the measured values for the combustion chamber pressure, and theoretical pressure values in the combustion chamber that would arise if no combustion took place in the combustion chamber are determined for the defined crankshaft angles. The value of the slope between two defined crankshaft angles for filtered pressure values is determined, the value of the slope between two defined crankshaft angles for theoretical pressure values is determined, and a difference of the slope values is calculated therefrom. This difference is compared with a specified threshold value, and, if the threshold value is exceeded, an autoignition in the combustion chamber is inferred.

Method and device for detecting autoignitions on the basis of measured and estimated internal cylinder pressure values of an internal combustion engine

A method and control system are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine having fuel injector(s), a camshaft for actuating inlet and/or outlet valve(s), a valve-train adjusting device for controllable switchover between different valve actuating characteristics, and optionally a camshaft sensor which supplies a camshaft signal representing the camshaft angle, a crankshaft sensor which supplies a crankshaft signal representing the crankshaft angle, and a control unit which controls the fuel injectors to inject predetermined fuel quantities at predetermined injection instants, wherein these stipulations take place as a function of the switching state of the valve-train adjusting device. To obtain information about this switching state, cylinder pressure signal(s) supplied by a cylinder pressure sensor are evaluated with regard to interference signals, and the evaluation result is used in determining the switching state of the valve-train adjusting device for stipulating the fuel quantities to be injected and/or the injection instants.

Method and control unit for controlling an internal combustion engine

A method and a control unit are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine having fuel injector(s), a camshaft for actuating inlet and/or outlet valve(s), a valve-train adjusting device for controllably changing the actuating characteristic of at least one valve which is actuated by means of the camshaft, and optionally having a camshaft sensor which supplies a camshaft signal dependent on the camshaft angle, a crankshaft sensor which supplies a crankshaft signal representing the crankshaft angle, and a control unit for controlling the fuel injection and the valve-train adjusting device. In order to obtain information about the current setting of the valve-train adjusting device, at least one cylinder pressure signal supplied by a cylinder pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in an associated cylinder is evaluated with regard to interference signals, and the evaluation result is taken into consideration in the control of the valve-train adjusting device.

A method and a control unit are disclosed for controlling a single-cylinder or multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine having at least one fuel injector per cylinder, at least one camshaft for actuating inlet valves and/or outlet valves, and having a control unit which controls the fuel injectors in such a way that they inject in each case one fuel pre-injection per cylinder during a starting phase of the internal combustion engine. In order to make an improved pre-injection strategy possible during the starting phase, according to the invention at least one cylinder pressure signal which is supplied by a cylinder pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in a cylinder is evaluated with regard to interference signals, and the evaluation result is taken into consideration at least during the starting phase in a determination of the camshaft angle.

In the method for determining the alcohol concentration of the tank fuel after filling up with E85 fuel or E0 fuel, two corridors of possible lambda values for filling with E0 fuel and E85 are established according to the volumes of the tank fuel before and after filling, and the lambda values are taken into account in the evaluation.

Method for determining an alcohol concentration of fuel fed to combustion in a motor vehicle after filling with a fuel of predetermined alcohol concentration

A pressure regulator can be used particularly in a CNG-operated motor vehicle as an electronically controlled pressure reducer for maintaining the gas pressure constant on the injection valve used for filling the respective cylinder. The pressure regulator is composed of a control unit (), a pressure reducer () that is controlled by the control unit (), and a throttle () which connects the gas outlets () of the working chamber () of the control unit () and the pressure reducer (). A piezoelectric actuator () which affects the valve () of an overflow device () makes it possible to specifically modify the gas pressure (P) in the working chamber () of the control unit () and simultaneously influence the position of the valve () of the overflow device () of the pressure reducer (), thus allowing the output pressure (Pout) of the pressure reducer () to be adjusted to a predefined desired value.

Pressure regulator for gaseous media

An apparatus and a method that prevent sticking of a valve pin in a valve seat of an injector at low temperatures can be provided providing an engine control unit and an additional control device, wherein the engine control unit activates the additional control device, and activate the injector by the additional control device in such a way that the injector by moving its valve pin is heated and/or rendered viable.

Method and apparatus for heating at least one injector of an engine

The invention relates to an operating method and to a device for a gas-driven internal combustion engine. According to the invention, the pressure in a gas injection system is adapted to the operational state of the internal combustion engine. A higher pressure is adjusted in the gas injection system during a higher charge of the internal combustion engine. Said higher pressure enables a higher volume flow through the gas injection valves associated with the gas injection system. The power produced by the internal combustion engine can be optimized. A lower pressure in the gas injection system is adjusted in the event of a lower charge or if the internal combustion engine is switched off. The lower pressure emits lower pollutant emissions which are produced by the internal combustion engine. The invention is characterized by a bi-directional interface between a control device and a pressure reducer or pressure controller.

Operating method and device for a gas-operated internal combustion engine

The invention relates to a method for controlling an injection of an internal combustion engine. The invention provides that after the internal combustion engine is started, the injection and/or the ignition is carried out according to a signal of an absolute position sensor device, particularly according to an absolute position sensor of a camshaft or according to an absolute position sensor of a crankshaft and to an angular range sensor. When a synchronization signal is detected by a sensor wheel of the crankshaft, the following control processes are carried out according to the synchronization signal, i.e. according to the position of the crankshaft. The inventive method is advantageous in that immediately after the internal combustion engine is started, a relatively precise signal for controlling the injection and/or the ignition is available. This enables a more precise combustion shortly after the internal combustion engine is started.

Method for controlling a direct injection of an internal combustion engine

During the starting phase of an internal combustion engine with fuel injection so-called pilot injectors (I) are used to establish a film on the cylinder walls and at the same time to provide an ignitable mixture for the first combustion. At this point in time the cam shaft and the crankshaft are not yet synchronized and the position of the pistons is unknown. The method according to the invention allows determination of the sequence of the pilot injectors (I) depending on the possible relative positions during the stop periods of the internal combustion engine, said positions being known beforehand.

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Neunburg V. Wald, Germany

Harry Schüle