Ford Motor Company Limited

Louis R Christensen

Peter John Grutter

Michael A Weyburne

Michael John Cullen

David George Farmer

Wallace R Wade

Joseph N Ulrey

Joseph L Hughes

Matthew J Gladd

Harendra S Gandhi

An electronic driveline controller and traction control method for an engine driven vehicle wherein the tractive effort of the driving wheels is controlled to avoid excess slip of the traction wheels relative to the vehicle road surface, the traction control being achieved by total powertrain torque management whereby the torque delivered to the driving wheels is a control parameter that depends upon the magnitude of sensed operating variables for the vehicle driveline.

Torque managed traction control for the drive wheels of an automotive

A method for reducing the engine torque being produced by an internal combustion engine to a desired engine torque through coordinated control of spark retard, cylinder cut-out and air/fuel scheduling. The method is for use with a vehicle including a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine capable of generating torque, each cylinder having an associated fuel injector for providing fuel to the cylinder and an associated spark timing control for providing a spark for combustion of the fuel with fresh air during engine operation. The method includes identifying the desired engine torque to which the engine torque being produced is to be reduced, and determining a first torque reduction to be achieved by defueling at least one of the engine cylinders. The method also includes determining a second torque reduction to be achieved by lean air/fuel scheduling, the second torque reduction being adjusted for the number of cylinders defueled, and determining a third torque reduction to be achieved by spark retardation, the third torque reduction being adjusted for the number of cylinders defueled and for the lean air/fuel scheduling.

Method and apparatus for controlling engine torque

An apparatus and method for oxidizing hydrocarbons in gases exhausted from an internal combustion engine 10. The method comprises passing exhaust gases, during initial operation of the engine, through a hydrocarbon trap 24, where the hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases are adsorbed before the gases are exhausted into the atmosphere. After a catalyst 16 is heated to the light-off temperature for hydrocarbons, the gases are prevented from passing through the hydrocarbon trap 24 and are passed through the catalyst 16 before being exhausted into the atmosphere. When the engine 10 speed is at steady state, such that the oxidation of hydrocarbons by the catalyst 16 is at peak efficiency, a portion of the gases exiting the catalyst 16 is diverted to pass through and flush hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon trap 24 while the remaining gas is exhausted into the atmosphere. The diverted gases containing the flushed hydrocarbons desorbed from the hydrocarbon trap 24 are then passed through the catalyst 16. After the hydrocarbons have been desorbed from the hydrocarbon trap 24, all gases passing through the catalyst 16 are exhausted into the atmosphere.

Method and apparatus for oxidizing hydrocarbons from exhaust gases

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Louis R Christensen