Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Michael Howard Shelby

Gopichandra Surnilla

Thomas George Leone

Joseph Norman Ulrey

James Alfred Hilditch

Daniel Joseph Styles

Brad Alan Boyer

Chris Paul Glugla

Mohannad Hakeem

Michael Damian Czekala

John Eric Rollinger

Jianwen James Yi

Gregory McConville

Brad Alan VanDerWege

Amey Y Karnik

Steven Wooldridge

Benjamin Richard Petersen

Ralph Wayne Cunningham

Christopher House

Ross Dykstra Pursifull

Robert Albert Stein

Todd Anthony Rumpsa

Adam Nathan Banker

Mrdjan J Jankovic

Stephen B Smith

Adam J Richards

James Eric Anderson

Lyth Alobiedat

Pravin Sashidharan

John Nelson

Jeffrey Allen Doering

John David Russell

James Michael Kerns

Joseph Lyle Thomas

Daniel A Makled

Tobias John Pallett

Robert Walter McCabe

Kim Hwe Ku

Stephen Lee Cooper

Eric Matthew Storhok

Adithya Pravarun Re Ranga

Eric Krengel

Graham Hoare

Jason Williams

Kenneth James Miller

Richard E Soltis

Julia Helen Buckland

Michael Mcquillen

Eric Warren Curtis

James Ervin

Adam Krach

Paul A Pietrzyk

John Erik Mikael Hellstrom

Matthew John Gerhart

Keith Michael Plagens

Naginder Gogna

Suzanne Kay Wait

Jeff Chester Lyjak

Russell Senior

Christopher Cundy

A method and a system for adjusting a base idle speed of an engine are described. In one example, the method reduces engine speed according to output of a sensor that senses mechanical vibrations. Once a vibration level exceeds a threshold, engine speed reduction ceases and the base engine idle speed is adjusted according to a present engine speed.

Engine idle speed control

A dual turbocharger system for an engine is provided. In one example, the dual turbocharger system may include two variable geometry turbines (VGTs), with each turbine being of the same size and operating in parallel, and with each compressor of the turbocharger operating in series, the first compressor of the first turbocharger being larger than the second compressor of the second turbocharger.

Two-stage boost system for engines

Methods and systems are provided for providing compression release during a stop/start event in an engine. In one example, a method includes: responsive to a request for a stop/start event in an engine with a continuously variable valve lift (CVVL) system including a compression release hydraulic valve actuator coupled to a valve of a first cylinder, determining a desired stop position of the engine; and prior to restarting the engine during the stop/start event, adjusting the compression release hydraulic valve actuator to open the valve during a compression stroke of the first cylinder. In this way, an amount of torque used to restart the engine may be reduced.

Systems and methods for providing compression release with continuous variable valve lift

Methods and systems are provided for a valve system for actuating two cylinder valves in an engine. In one example, the valve system may include a single pump and a solenoid valve capable of non-concurrently actuating the two cylinder valves coupled to separate cylinders.

Method and system for a continuously variable valve lift system

Methods and systems are provided for operating a cylinder of an engine including a pre-chamber ignition system during a cold start condition. In one example, a method may include performing a post-injection in the cylinder, and then performing a pre-chamber combustion during an exhaust stroke of the cylinder. In this way, a temperature of a catalyst of the engine may be increased, which may decrease vehicle emissions during the cold start condition.

Systems and methods for catalyst heating during cold-start with an active pre-chamber

Methods and systems are provided for combusting an air-fuel mixture in a pre-chamber of a cylinder during an exhaust stroke of the cylinder responsive to fouling of the pre-chamber. In one example, a method may include injecting air into the pre-chamber during the exhaust stroke, injecting fuel into the pre-chamber during the exhaust stroke, and actuating a pre-chamber spark plug in order to combust the air-fuel mixture during the exhaust stroke. In this way, a temperature of the pre-chamber may be increased, which may decrease a soot load of one of a pre-chamber air-injector, a pre-chamber fuel injector, and the pre-chamber spark plug.

Systems and methods for fouling reduction in a pre-chamber

Methods and systems are provided for tracking a fuel puddle mass in the intake port of a deactivated engine cylinder. The difference in fuel evaporation rate in the deactivated cylinder intake is accounted for by applying distinct time constant and gain values to a transient fuel compensation model. A fuel vapor content is clipped once the intake vapor pressure in the intake port of the deactivated cylinder reaches a saturation pressure limit.

Method and system for controlling engine fueling

Methods and systems are provided for improving engine torque response during transient condition. In one example, a method may include adjusting intake throttle and exhaust waste-gate valve based on the operator torque demand and concurrently, scheduling exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and variable cam timing (VCT) based on a predicted torque shortfall ratio. The scheduling of EGR and VCT is independent of the actual position of intake throttle and exhaust waste-gate valve.

Methods and system for improving transient torque response

Methods and systems are provided for improving calibration of a variable compression ratio engine. Cylinder-to-cylinder compression ratio variations are detected and accounted for by comparing cylinder fuel flow and IMEP at each compression ratio setting. Dilution parameters including EGR and VCT schedule are also calibrated to account for the cylinder-to-cylinder compression ratio variations.

System and method for variable compression ratio engine

Methods and systems are provided for operating a split exhaust engine system that provides blowthrough air and exhaust gas recirculation to an intake passage via a first exhaust manifold and exhaust gas to an exhaust passage via a second exhaust manifold. In one example, the engine system may be installed in a hybrid vehicle, and, in response to a request to restart the engine while the vehicle is being propelled via motor torque only, the engine may be rotated unfueled via the motor torque at less than cranking speed while at least partially opening a valve disposed in a passage coupled between the first exhaust manifold and the intake passage. In another example, in response to the request to restart the engine, all exhaust valves of a second set of exhaust valves coupled to the second exhaust manifold may be deactivated.

Systems and methods for a split exhaust engine system

Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel efficiency and tailpipe emissions of a variable displacement engine. Fueling is initially disabled in cylinders selected to be deactivated while pumping air through the cylinders to an exhaust after-treatment catalyst, and then valve operation is disabled. On reactivation, if manifold vacuum is dissipated, one bank of cylinders are reactivated while the other bank is operated in DFSO with valves pumping air until manifold vacuum is reestablished.

Methods and systems for engine control

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a cylinder valve deactivation mechanism in an engine system having cam-actuated valves. Movement of a latch pin of the deactivation mechanism is inferred from an induction current generated by a solenoid coupled to the latch pin, and the inferred movement is used to diagnose operation of cylinder valve deactivation mechanism. The inferred movement and a profile of the induction current is also used to estimate camshaft and crankshaft timing for improved cylinder fuel delivery in the absence of a camshaft sensor.

Method and system for variable displacement engine diagnostics

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting an amount of water injected upstream of a group of cylinders based on a determined maldistribution of water among cylinders during a water injection event. In one example, a method may include injecting a first amount of water upstream of a first group of cylinders and a different, second amount of water upstream of a second group of cylinders based on operating conditions of the respective cylinder groups. Further, the method may include adjusting water injection and engine operating parameters in response the evaporated and/or condensed portion of water.

Methods and system for injecting water at different groups of cylinders of an engine

Methods and systems are described for controlling fuel injection in an engine equipped with a dual injector system including a port injector and a direct injector. A ratio of port injected fuel to direct injected fuel is adjusted based at least on intake valve temperature. The proportion of fuel port injected into a cylinder is increased as the intake valve temperature for the given cylinder increases to improve fuel vaporization in the intake port.

Method for fuel injection control

Methods and systems are provided for coordinating water usage with spark usage based on the effect on an engine torque ratio. Water is injected based on torque ratio at a current spark timing relative to torque ratio at borderline knock to improve the impact of the water injection on the engine performance. Manifold water injection and direct water injected are coordinated based on intake manifold humidity.

Method and system for engine water injection

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn Heights, MI, United States of America

Michael Howard Shelby