Chrysler Corporation

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Karin Rak

Yi Cheng

Gary L Seitz

Shean P Huff

Mary Joyce

Robert J Nankee, Ii

Jerry Kennie

Roland T Richardson

Richard K Moote

Dennis A Krozek

Mark E Hope

Howard W Krausman

William D Rotramel

Patrick T McCourt

Kenneth P DeGroot

William B Blomquist

Timothy A Coatesworth

Gang Chen

Michael J Prucka

Bruce H Teague

Gregory L Ohl

Michael J Reale

James W Yip

Ronald A Yannone, Jr

John M Prevost

Kerry D Franks

David Parenti

Zhong Li

Robert T Forgiel

Daniel B Diebel

Paul R Arlauskas

David P Ploucha

Sandra N Thomson

Jonathan F Rose

Pubudu Peiris

David A Barkman

Colleen M Donahue

Phillip B McGrath

Edward M Vuylsteke

A method for controlling slip in an EMCC equipped torque converter is provided. The method determines whether an EMCC slip rate exceeds a predetermined RPM, determines whether a crankshaft RPM acceleration exceeds a predetermined rate, reduces an output torque of an engine in response to one of said EMCC slip rate exceeding said predetermined RPM and said crankshaft RPM acceleration exceeding said predetermined rate; and disables said output torque of an engine in response to said EMCC slip rate being less than said predetermined RPM and said crankshaft RPM acceleration being less than said predetermined rate.

Method of controlling torque converter clutch slip

A method of determining the quality of subsystems of an electronic engine control system is provided. The method monitors an engine parameter representative of a subsystem of interest and compares the parameter to at least one quality limit. The at least one quality limit represents an acceptable performance boundary for a fully functional engine control system. The method then indicates, based on the result of the comparison, whether the subsystem is of satisfactory quality. The method is arranged, without limitation, to determining the quality of start time, start flare, idle control during transmission shift, and speed control.

Verification engine controller software

A method for characterizing an air flow target within an internal combustion engine. The method includes determining an air mass flow rate target, determining an engine speed term, and processing these terms to obtain an air flow target. The air flow target can be used as an input for vehicle controllers including those for controlling pressurized induction systems.

Air flow target determination

The present invention relates to a method for determining a maximum performance gear for an automobile when performing acceleration/deceleration maneuvers and a system for enhancing a motor vehicle's gear indicator capabilities. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for determining the optimal gear for operation of a manual transmission by obtaining vehicle speed and engine speed data and filtering such data through a mathematical filter implemented by a microprocessor. The application of the filter that may be adjusted throughout vehicle usage to optimize gear and transmission operability.

Filter method for engine speed to vehicle speed ratios

A method of determining a goal voltage for a fuel/air sensor of an engine electronic fuel injection system includes the steps of determining a goal fuel/air sensor voltage, superimposing a wave form forcing function to the fuel/air sensor voltage for providing a goal fuel/air sensor voltage having a wave form pattern and controlling the engine to operate according to the goal fuel/air sensor voltage. The wave form forcing function provides the required fuel/air perturbations that are required to retain proper oxygen storage of the catalyst to maintain high three-way conversion efficiency.

Wave form fuel/air sensor target voltage

The present invention provides a flexible fuel compensation system for determining the percent alcohol content of fuel in a flexible fueled vehicle at the instance of fueling and in an open loop operating mode. According to the invention, two estimated percent alcohol content values are calculated based on the old fuel mixture's alcohol content and two fueling possibilities. A first value is calculated for the possibility that E85 fuel was added to the tank and a second value is calculated for the possibility that E0 fuel was added to the tank. If the inferred ethanol content increases above a positive threshold during closed loop operation, the system assumes that E85 fuel has been added to the tank. Conversely, if the inferred ethanol content decreases below a negative threshold, the system assumes that E0 fuel was added to the tank. Accordingly, if the vehicle is shut down before a more accurate ethanol content determination is complete, the inferred ethanol content follows either the first or second estimated alcohol content value until the system reaches a closed loop operating condition.

Method of determining the composition of fuel in a flexible fueled vehicle after fuel blending

A method of controlling a proportional purge solenoid is provided to improve low flow resolution. The method includes looking-up a primary duty cycle corresponding to purge current in a three-dimensional surface by using purge flow and vacuum level as inputs. Should the primary duty cycle fall below a lowest allowable purge current threshold value, a secondary purge duty cycle (i.e., an on/off pattern of the primary duty cycle) is obtained from a two-dimensional table by using the actual calculated purge flow as an input. The two-dimensional table includes a sequence of program loops subdivided into a delay region wherein the purge flow and vacuum level data are learned, an updating region wherein the purge current of the three-dimensional surface is updated, and a control region wherein the primary duty cycle is toggled between on and off states. When the current program loop falls within the delay region, a recorded primary duty cycle is output. When the current program loop falls within the updating region, the primary duty cycle is applied at a time determined during the last program sequence. When the current program loop falls within the control period, the primary duty cycle is applied at a time when the current program loop number equals a program loop number of the two-dimensional surface corresponding to the actual calculated purge flow.

Duty cycling feature for the proportional purge solenoid to improve low

A method is provided for triggering a system for learning the percent alcohol content of a fuel used in a motor vehicle capable of operating on more than one type of fuel. The fuel composition learning system is triggered each time fuel is added to the vehicle's fuel tank, each time the engine is started when the fuel volume in the fuel tank falls below a given value or if a fuel level sending unit malfunction has been detected. The fuel composition learning system is also triggered if an error is detected in the value of the learned percent alcohol content of the fuel.

Method of triggering a determination of the composition of fuel in a

The present invention provides a method of compensating for a boil-off condition in a flexible fuel compensation control system for a flexible fueled vehicle with a PCV solenoid. The methodology determines both the presence and extent of boil-off corruption and handles closed loop controls normally as if no boil-off corruption exists. The methodology also determines the amount of boil-off corruption being introduced through the PCV system and updates the flexible fueled vehicle fueling during a blend change between ethanol and gasoline. Additionally, the methodology determines when boil-off corruption is no longer influencing closed loop fuel control.

Method of compensating for boil-off alcohol in a flexible fueled vehicle

The present invention is directed towards a method of controlling combustion parameters of an internal combustion engine prior to oxygen sensor feedback availability for a flexible fueled vehicle. If the vehicle has previously been running on ethanol or has been using ethanol in the recent past, a first strategy is employed which basis engine fueling on the minimum of a theoretically appropriate fueling value and a theoretically calculated value. If the vehicle has not previously been running on ethanol or has not been using ethanol in the recent past, a second strategy is employed which basis engine fueling on the minimum of the theoretically appropriate fueling value, the theoretically calculated value and a roughness calculated value.

Method of determining the composition of fuel in a flexible fueled

The present invention provides a method of compensating for changing fuels in a flexible fueled vehicle using a fuel composition sensor. The methodology detects and models an alcohol concentration transition at fuel injector tips following a fuel addition. The methodology improves the accuracy of engine fueling during an alcohol concentration change by delaying the application of a fuel composition multiplier until the fuel analyzed by the fuel composition sensor actually reaches the injectors.

Method of compensating for changing fuels in a flexible fueled vehicle

The present invention provides a method for controlling combustion parameters of an internal combustion engine during wide open throttle or part throttle enrichment operation. Oxygen sensor rich and lean counts above and below a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio are counted during an injector pulse width period while a fuel concentration determination is being made at wide open throttle and part throttle enrichment. The ratio of lean counts to rich counts is compared to a calibratable value for incrementing the fuel concentration delivered to the internal combustion engine. The fuel concentration is further controlled if a boil-off condition is detected.

Method of controlling the air to fuel ratio in a flexible fueled vehicle

The present invention provides a flexible fuel compensation system for controlling operating parameters of an internal combustion engine based on a learned value of the percent alcohol content of the fuel using an oxygen feedback system. The methodology determines a fuel composition multiplier based on the percent alcohol content and implements gasoline operating parameters for the internal combustion engine if the fuel composition multiplier is less than a first threshold value, mixed gasoline/alcohol operating parameters if the fuel composition multiplier is greater than the first threshold value, and high concentration alcohol operating parameters if the fuel composition multiplier is greater than a second threshold value for a number of comparison checks. After a predetermined period, the fuel composition multiplier is updated and re-compared to the first and second thresholds and the appropriate one of the aforementioned operating parameters is implemented. A third update of the fuel composition multiplier is made if the determined fuel composition multiplier is less than the actual percent alcohol content of the fuel by more than a given amount.

The present invention provides a method for controlling the combustion parameters of an internal combustion engine with an oxygen sensor prior to a closed loop operating condition. If the output voltage of the oxygen sensor indicates a lean air to fuel ratio condition, the percent alcohol content is incremented to a limit based on an E85 possibility curve. If the voltage output of the oxygen sensor indicates a rich air to fuel ratio condition, the percent alcohol content is decremented to a limit based on an E0 possibility curve. After the end of the fuel blending period or when the internal combustion engine reaches a closed loop mode, control of the combustion parameters of the internal combustion engine are returned to normal regime oxygen sensor feedback control.

Growing community of inventors

Jackson, MI, United States of America

Yi Cheng