Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

James R Royer

Richard B Jess

Steven D Stiles

Mehta Vivek

A method and apparatus for controlling the throttle position of a vehicle by modifying the pedal to throttle progression typically used by the electronic throttle controller to a throttle progression based on the driver's target acceleration and vehicle speed. Target acceleration is determined using a lookup table with inputs current vehicle speed and accelerator pedal displacement. Another lookup determines the end vehicle speed the driver will attain if the pedal displacement does not change. A signal indicating the new throttle position is the output of a controller whose input is the difference between end vehicle speed and current vehicle speed and whose gain is based on the target acceleration. Changes in throttle position can be limited based on an arbitration incorporating information received from other vehicle control systems. Preferably, control of the throttle will revert to the idle control system whenever the accelerator pedal is not displaced.

Modification of pedal progression with acceleration feedback using electronic throttle control

A stream of water or a water-methanol mixture is injected into the induction passage of a spark ignition internal combustion engine, and a probe disposed in the induction passage is contacted by the stream to sense when the density of the engine charge can be increased, the air-fuel ratio of the engine charge can be leaned and the timing of ignition of the engine charge can be advanced beyond normal operating ranges.

Growing community of inventors

Flushing, MI, United States of America

James R Royer