Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford General Technologies, LLC

Paul Charles Mingo

Jeffrey Allen Doering

Chris Paul Glugla

Robert Baskins

William Goodwin

Xiaoying Zhang

Robert Matthew Marzonie

Sue Kay Wagers

Michael John Cullen

Ralph Wayne Cunningham

Giuseppe Domenico Suffredini

Mark Thomas Linenberg

Thomas Francis Mausolf

Jon Walter Halverson

Alastair William Parke

Jon Dixon

Isis A Messih

Joseph N Ulrey

Michael A Weyburne

Frank Gonzales, Jr

Richard W Sbaschnig

John R Skrbina

Pavel Pesek

Methods and systems are provided for addressing pre-ignition that may be induced in response to actions taken to mitigate a cylinder misfire. An amount of engine load limiting applied may be adjusted to reduce the likelihood pre-ignition while also addressing component over-temperature issues. By limiting an engine load while shutting off fuel in a misfiring cylinder, and while combusting a lean air-fuel mixture in the remaining cylinders, pre-ignition induced by the misfire-mitigating lean combustion conditions can be reduced.

Method and system for pre-ignition control

A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine during starting use position sensor information in addition to cylinder combustion information to transition from simultaneous fueling to sequential fueling by selecting a cylinder to receive a first sequential fuel injection. Embodiments include a system and method for controlling a sequentially fueled port injected internal combustion engine that contingently select a cylinder to receive a first sequential fuel injection based on position information indicating that the cylinder received a simultaneous fuel injection during its intake stroke. Engine rotational speed is monitored to detect combustion and determine which cylinder fired first. A first sequential fueling pulse is provided to the contingently selected cylinder unless a preceding cylinder in the firing order fires first.

System and method for starting sequential fuel injection internal combustion engine

A method and system for controlling an internal combustion engine system upon loss of a crankshaft position sensor signal produced by such system is provided. The method includes providing a control module having a central processing unit and a time processor unit associated with such central processing unit. The time processor unit has programmed into is a first code for operating the engine system in the presence of a proper crankshaft position sensor signal. The control module stores a second code for loading into the time processor unit to operate the engine system with the time processor unit upon detection of an improper crankshaft position sensor signal. Initially, the engine system is operated with the time processor unit executing the first code. The method monitors the crankshaft position signal for a fault. Upon detection of the fault, the method loads the second code into the time processor unit and operates the engine system with the time processor unit executing the second code.

Method and system for controlling an internal combustion engine when such engine loses a primary crankshaft position sensor

A method for determining engine position during engine starting is described wherein cylinder identification is determined based on either the absence or presence of a cylinder identification signal. The approach is used when it is determined that engine speed is large enough so that the cylinder identification signal can be recognized.

Engine starting method

A method and system for controlling the fuel mass to be delivered to an individual cylinder of an internal combustion engine during engine transients caused by intake control device transitions. The method and system compensates for fuel transport dynamics and the actual fuel injected into the cylinder. A plurality of engine parameters are sensed, including cylinder air charge. An initial base desired fuel mass is determined based on the plurality of engine parameters. An initial transient fuel mass is also determined based on prior injection history which, in turn, is modified based on the transition of the intake control device for that cylinder. A desired injected fuel mass to be delivered to the cylinder is determined based on the initial base desired fuel mass and the initial transient fuel mass. These same calculations are then used to compensate for changes to the base desired fuel mass while the fuel injection is in progress, resulting in an updated desired injected fuel mass. Finally, the injection history for that cylinder is updated to account for the actual desired fuel mass delivered to the cylinder.

System for controlling air-fuel ratio during intake control device transitions

A method for determining an operational state of a vehicle starter motor coupled to vehicle battery includes the steps of detecting a vehicle battery voltage, deriving an average vehicle battery voltage, and inferring the operational state of the starter motor based at least in part on a difference between the detected vehicle battery voltage and the average vehicle battery voltage.

Method and system for determining the operational state of a vehicle starter motor

A method for preventing reverse running of an internal combustion engine includes determining the operational state of the vehicle starter motor, determining whether a stall or imminent stall condition exists, and suspending operation of the engine based on the stall or imminent stall condition.

Method and system for preventing reverse running of internal combustion engine

A method and system for determining and controlling the fuel mass to be delivered to an individual cylinder of an internal combustion engine during engine transients compensates for fuel transport dynamics and the actual fuel injected into the cylinder. A plurality of engine parameters are sensed, including cylinder air charge. An initial base desired fuel mass is determined based on the plurality of engine parameters. An initial transient fuel mass is also determined based on prior injection history for that cylinder. A desired injected fuel mass to be delivered to the cylinder is determined based on the initial base desired fuel mass and the initial transient fuel mass. These same calculations are then used to compensate for changes to the base desired fuel mass while the fuel injection is in progress, resulting in an updated desired injected fuel mass. Finally, the injection history for that cylinder is updated to account for the actual desired fuel mass delivered to the cylinder.

Method and system for controlling fuel delivery during transient engine

A method and system for controlling fuel delivery to an individual cylinder of an internal combustion engine during engine cranking compensates for fuel transport dynamics and the actual fuel injected into the cylinder. A plurality of engine parameters are sensed, including engine temperature, inducted air mass per cylinder and number of engine intake events since cranking. A temperature of the engine stored at key-off is determined. A new puddle mass estimate for the cylinder is determined based on the decay ratio of the new puddle mass estimate to the prior puddle mass estimate stored before key-off utilizing the temperature of the engine stored at key-off. A desired fuel mass to be injected into the cylinder is then determined based on the new puddle mass estimate and the plurality of engine parameters.

Method and system for controlling fuel delivery during engine cranking

A method and system for generating electronic fuel injection pulse waveforms to achieve an accurate air/fuel ratio control during transient conditions. Sensors are provided for sensing a plurality of engine parameters. An electronic engine controller is provided for performing a plurality of steps associated with the method. The method includes storing calibration data and sensing the engine parameters. A leading edge of the fuel pulse waveform is calculated based on the stored calibration data and the sensed engine parameters. The leading edge of the fuel pulse waveform is generated, thereby triggering an interrupt. Next, a trailing edge of the fuel pulse waveform is calculated based on current fuel mass requirements determined during the duration of the fuel pulse. The method concludes with the step of generating the trailing edge of the fuel pulse waveform.

Method and system for generating a fuel pulse waveform

An electronic engine controller includes a central processing unit (CPU) which controls the operations of the controller and an analog-to-digital (A/D)converter chip which receives analog signals generated by sensors which transmit signals indicative of vehicle and engine operating parameters. The A/D converter chip automatically performs a conversion on certain signals indicative of critical engine operating parameters to generate corresponding digital values upon each engine revolution. These digital values are stored for retrieval by the CPU. Digital values corresponding to other signals are generated and transmitted upon request by the CPU. The A/D converter chip and the CPU are coupled by a serial link which operates under one of several protocols to transmit digital values from the A/D converter chip to the CPU.

Electronic engine controller with automatic hardware initiated A/D

A method, for use with a vehicle including a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having exhaust valves, for controlling the temperature of the exhaust valves during fuel cutoff modes of engine operation utilizing a bit pattern representation of the engine cylinders. The method includes cutting off the fuel delivered to the cylinders in an indexed cylinder firing pattern to vary which cylinders receive fuel, so as to maintain acceptable exhaust valve temperature levels. The method may also include operating the engine with a lean air/fuel ratio, so as to maintain acceptable catalytic converter temperature levels.

Growing community of inventors

Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Paul Charles Mingo