The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 29, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 20, 2001
Donald James Lewis, Brighton, MI (US);
Kevin Ronald Carlstrom, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Stanley Larue Bower, Jr., Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Stephen L. Hahn, Novi, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to a new method and system for optimizing the efficiency of an automotive catalytic converter by adjusting the engine air/fuel ratio based on estimates of the actual amount of oxidants stored in the catalyst. To dQ so, the invented system estimates an amount of oxidants stored in the catalyst. The amount of oxidants stored is estimated by determining an amount of oxidants that are available for storage by the catalyst or that are needed to oxidize hydrocarbons being produced by the engine. The estimate of the amount of oxidants that are available for storage by the catalyst or that are needed to oxidize hydrocarbons is adjusted based on a feedback parameter. Further, the desired amount of oxidants stored in the device is adjusted based on a prediction of future operating conditions.