Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Philip Allen Karau

Raymond O Butler, Jr

Philip Ralph Peterson

Scott Birk Kesler

Sergio E Garcia

Gerard Wladyslaw Malaczynski

Ronald J Kiess

Anthony L Marks

Jerral A Long

Leonard J Sheldrake

Robert W Koseluk

James H Currie

Mahfuzur Rahman

Michael A Davis

Michael Edward Baker

Brian R Lovegrove

Stanley E Olson

Marshall W Littrell

John S Brooks

Vijay Ramappan

A method and control system to accomplish knock control on a multi-cylinder spark-ignition internal combustion engine equipped variable cam phasing system, comprising monitoring cam position, crankshaft position, and, engine knock signal, determining cam position relative to crankshaft position, and implementing either a global cylinder knock control strategy or an individual cylinder knock control strategy, based upon whether the determined cam position relative to crankshaft position is near a default position, the determined cam position indicates the variable cam phasing system is operating in a transient mode, or, the determined cam position relative to crankshaft position is substantially different from the default position.

Method to control auto-ignition in an internal combustion engine equipped with variable valve timing control

A method and control system that directly determines combustion quality by measuring an ionization signal of each combustion event during initial engine operation is shown. The determined combustion quality is used to optimize engine performance for emissions and driveability by compensating various engine control parameters during initial engine operation, including starting. Compensation of engine control parameters may include changes to fuel delivery, spark ignition timing, and engine load. Any compensation of the engine control acts to ensure that a sufficient quantity of vaporized fuel is delivered to the engine to effectively start and operate the engine at the load level demanded by the engine, engine loads, and the operator.

Engine control method and apparatus using ion sense combustion monitoring

In an ignition coil assembly of an ion sensing ignition system having an ignition coil output, a buffered ion-sense current source circuit is provided and includes a current sensing circuit, the current sensing circuit being disposed so as to be communicated with the ignition coil output and an active current source circuit, the active current source circuit being disposed so as to be communicated with the current sensing circuit and a current measuring device.

Buffered ion sense current source in an ignition coil

An impulse noise suppression circuit for an integrator-based ion current signal processing system includes a one-shot circuit activated by a trigger signal that is produced when a noise transient in a bandpass filtered ion current signal exceeds a predetermined threshold. The output pulse of the one-shot circuit is selected to have a pulse width configured to mask a substantial portion of the noise transient without masking the remaining filtered ion current signal during the remainder of a knock window in which knock is detected.

System and method for impulse noise suppression for integrator-based ion current signal processor

An improved method of identifying the cylinder combustion sequence of a four-stroke internal combustion engine accepts of rejects an assumed combustion sequence based on measured ion current combustion quality (CQ) indications. Individual CQ indications for the various engine cylinders are algebraically combined as a function of the assumed combustion sequence so that the combined CQ indication increases in a first polarity if the assumed combustion sequence is correct, and in a second polarity if the assumed combustion sequence is incorrect. When the absolute value of the combined CQ indication exceeds a threshold, the polarity of the combined CQ indication is used to either accept or reject the assumed combustion sequence. Each of the measured CQ indications are used without regard to the engine operating condition, and the threshold to which the combined CQ indication is compared is reflective of a confidence level in the assumed combustion sequence, and is not used to distinguish between combustion and exhaust strokes in an individual engine cylinder.

Method of identifying engine cylinder combustion sequence based on combustion quality

Disclosed is a bias and measuring circuit that improves the ion sense measurement and ignition performance of an Ion Sense Ignition system where the ion current signal processing is implemented remote from the ignition coil. Specifically, the bias and measuring circuit of the invention reduces the effects of secondary harness capacitance on the ion current signal, minimizes the effects of harness electrical leakage and reduces the chances for &ldquo;spark-on-make&rdquo; (an ignition firing when the ignition coil primary is initially energized).

Ion sense ignition bias circuit

A device for rejecting noise in an ion-sense ignition knock signal compares an integrated knock signal to a peak knock signal multiplied by a time factor to determine the presence of noise. A bandpass filter coupled to an engine's spark plug through ion-sensing circuitry generates a filtered knock signal. The filtered knock signal is passed through a rectifier to produce a rectified knock signal. The rectified knock signal is then passed through an integrator and a peak detector to produce an integrated knock signal and a peak knock signal, respectively. The peak knock signal is multiplied by a predetermined time factor and the result is compared to the integrated knock signal. If the result is less than the integrated knock signal, then no noise disturbance occurred and the integrated knock signal is passed on to a knock detector. If, on the other hand, the result is greater than the integrated knock signal, a noise disturbance has occurred and the integrated signal is reduced to some minimum value before being passed on to the knock detector.

System for rejecting noise in ignition knock data

A crankshaft angular position detecting apparatus for detecting the angular position of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The crankshaft drives a timing wheel which has a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots located along its outer periphery. Two angularly spaced sensors are located adjacent the slots. The sensors develop voltage pulses as the slots move past the sensors. Two phase-displaced pulse trains are developed, one by each sensor, as the wheel rotates. The pattern of slots and the angular spacing of the sensors is such that a varying number of pulses of one pulse train occurs between consecutively occurring pulses of the other pulse train. The varying number of pulses provide different patterns and each pattern is indicative of a crankshaft position. The timing wheel is secured to the engine crankshaft and is located inside of the engine.

Crankshaft angular position detecting apparatus

An LPP ignition timing control for an internal combustion engine of the type having a normal combustion mode characterized by combustion pressure peaks compatible with closed loop LPP ignition timing control and an abnormal combustion mode which may not be so compatible includes a closed loop control apparatus effective to sense LPP in the combustion chamber, generate an LPP value therefrom, store a DLPP value indicative of a desired LPP, and compare the LPP value and stored DLPP value and adjust ignition timing to reduce the difference therebetween. During a sensed abnormal combustion mode, the control changes the ignition timings for ignition events toward predetermined, stored ignition timings and substitutes for the stored DLPP value temporary DLPP values which are a predetermined crankshaft angle in advance of the generated LPP values and limited in the retard direction to the stored DLPP value. After the termination of the abnormal combustion mode the control continues the substitution of the temporary DLPP values for the stored values until the former comes within a predetermined crankshaft angle of the latter. The abnormal combustion mode may be sensed as excessive variation in LPP, excessively advanced average LPP or excessive numbers of undetected combustion pressure peaks.

LPP combustion control for IC engine with abnormal combustion

An internal combustion engine with a spark timing control which varies spark timing to maintain a substantially constant peak combustion pressure timing includes a combustion pressure sensor generating a signal contaminated by high frequency noise and further apparatus which tracks the sensor signal only while it is increasing above a previous maximum and generates an output signal whenever it stops tracking to indicate the timing of a new maximum. Numbers representing the crankshaft rotational positions of the successive signals are stored in a storage element during a crankshaft rotational range in which peak combustion pressure is expected. At the end of the range, the last stored number is used to represent the timing of peak combustion pressure in the spark timing control and the apparatus reset for the next determination.

Internal combustion engine spark timing control including peak

A motor vehicle electrical system having a charge mode of operation wherein the motor vehicle battery receives charging current at a temperature compensated voltage from an engine-driven generator, and a float mode operation wherein the battery charging current is reduced to a low value, sufficient only to prevent self-discharge of the battery. The charge and float modes of operation are alternately engaged as a function of the battery state of charge. During the charge mode of operation, a sufficiently high state of charge is detected as a function of the magnitude of the charging current, and during the float mode of operation, a depleted state of charge is detected as a function of the battery voltage. A timer provides a periodic return to the charge mode of operation to sample the battery state of charge.

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Grand Blanc, MI, United States of America

Philip Allen Karau