Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Global Technology, LLC

Vince Winstead

Donald James Lewis

Ilya V Kolmanovsky

Michael W Degner

John David Russell

Nate Trask

Alex Gibson

John Robert Grabowski

Dennis C Reed

James Ervin

Thomas Megli

A method for controlling an engine during a start is presented. In one example, the method includes direct starting an engine with a port fuel injector. The method can improve engine starting during some conditions.

Engine starting for engine having adjustable valve operation and port fuel injection

A system for communicating information between a valve controller and an engine controller is presented. The system is designed to improve the timing of data transferred between two controllers.

Interval phasing for valve timing

A method to adjust timing of an electrically actuated valve, said electrically actuated valve operating in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising during a cycle of said cylinder, opening said electrically actuated valve at a first valve opening position without activating a valve opening coil, and closing the valve at a first closing position; and during a second subsequent cycle of said cylinder, opening said electrically actuated valve at a second opening position that is varied based on the crankshaft angle at which said first closing occurs, where the second opening position is increased as said the crankshaft angle at which the first closing occurs increases.

Adjusting ballistic valve timing

A system and method for controlling electromechanical valves operating in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve operation can be adjusted in a number of ways.

Adjusting electrically actuated valve lift

A system and method to improve electromechanical valve control in an internal combustion engine. The method adjusts valve current to meet a wide range of engine operating conditions.

Method to start electromechanical valves on an internal combustion engine

A system and method for controlling electromechanical valves operating in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve timing can be adjusted in a number of ways. The method can also compensate for changes in the natural response of the valve apparatus.

A system and method for determining valve degradation is presented. According to the method, valve timing can be adjusted in a number of ways to improve the possibility of detecting a degraded valve.

Method for determining valve degradation

A system and method to control engine valve timing to improve the start of an internal combustion engine. Electromechanical valves are controlled in a manner to reduce hydrocarbon emissions during the start of an internal combustion engine.

Reducing engine emission on an engine with electromechanical valves

A system and method to control spark in a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine. Spark can be controlled in a cylinder while reducing the possibility of producing a spark at a spark plug coupled to an ignition coil.

Controlling spark for an engine with controllable valves

A method for operating an internal combustion engine having at least a first and second cylinder, comprising during at least one operating condition, operating the first cylinder to receive directly injected fuel, mix said fuel with fresh air inducted past an intake valve of the first cylinder, combust said mixture, and exhaust at least a portion of said mixture past an exhaust valve of the first cylinder, and concurrent with said operation of the first cylinder, operating the second cylinder to hold an intake valve of the second cylinder closed for at least a cycle of said second cylinder, receive directly injected fuel, and then exhaust at least a portion of said fuel past an exhaust valve of the second cylinder to generate unburned reductants in an exhaust of the engine.

Exhaust reductant generation in a direct injection engine with cylinder deactivation

A system and method for controlling randomly operable valves in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve lift is used to create a Helmholtz resonator from a deactivated cylinder. The method can reduce engine pressure based audible noise for variable displacement engines.

Reducing acoustic noise of an engine having electromechanical valves

A system and method to control spark in a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine. Spark can be controlled in a cylinder based on operating conditions of a selectively operable valve.

Reducing engine emissions on an engine with electromechanical valves

A method to compute, store, and inject adaptive valve timing corrections in a camless valvetrain architecture where a measurable (based on the resolution of the measuring methodology) error exists between the requested and delivered valve timing. This method is based on a measurement of the delivered valve timing, such as from a direct position sensor, (hall effect, LVDT, optical, etc.) or inferred position sensing based on valve actuator current (electronic actuation) or pressure (hydraulic actuation) feedback. This measured delivered valve timing information is used to compute offsets which, when applied to the desired timing, provide more accurate correlation between the delivered timing and the desired timing.

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Vince Winstead