Engine fuel delivery management system

• US 20030000500A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optimum Power Technology LP
• Original Assignee: Optimum Power Technology LP
• Inventors: Chatfield, Glen F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,701,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/438
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/10 for acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2416 Interpolation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/263 the program execution being modifiable by physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3005 Details not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An apparatus and method for adjusting a quantity of fuel delivered to an engine when an engine operating state transitions is provided. The apparatus and method includes determining a current steady-state quantity of fuel to be delivered to the engine and add a transitory quantity of fuel, based on a difference between a previous steady-state quantity of fuel delivered and the current steady-state quantity of fuel to be delivered, to the current steady-state quantity of fuel for a period of time following initiation of the transition. The invention also provides an apparatus and method by which an operator may adjust the amount of fuel delivered during an engine operating state transition.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting a quantity of fuel delivered to an engine when an engine operating state transitions, comprising:

determining a current steady-state quantity of fuel to be delivered to the engine; and

adding a transitory quantity of fuel, based on a difference between a previously determined quantity of fuel and the current steady-state quantity of fuel, to the current steady-state quantity of fuel for a period of time following initiation of the transition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel is negative.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel is set to zero when a negative transitory quantity of fuel is calculated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering a quantity of fuel further comprises delivering the quantity of fuel to a cylinder of the engine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of fuel is delivered to more than one cylinder of the engine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel quantity is expressed in terms of a period of time during which a valve is open for fuel to pass therethrough.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of time following initiation of the transition is the time required for a predetermined number of cycles to occur.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined number of cycles is a predetermined number of cycles of the engine.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined number of cycles is a predetermined number of cycles of a cylinder of the engine.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel changes during the period of time following initiation of the transition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel decays during the period of time following initiation of the transition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel decays at a predetermined rate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel has no effect on the quantity of fuel delivered after the predetermined period of time expires.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine operating transition includes a change of throttle position.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine operating state transition includes a change in engine speed.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine operating state transition includes a change in engine load.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine operating state transition includes a change in engine speed and a change in engine load.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel is to be delivered to the engine.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously determined quantity of fuel is a quantity of fuel that was previously calculated to be delivered.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously determined quantity of fuel is an actual quantity of fuel that was delivered.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously determined quantity of fuel is a steady-state quantity of fuel that would have been delivered if a transitory quantity of fuel had not been added thereto.

22. The method of claim 1, whereby determining a steady-state quantity of fuel to be delivered to the engine includes retrieving the steady-state quantity of fuel from a table.

23. The method of claim 1, whereby determining a steady-state quantity of fuel to be delivered to the engine further includes interpolating the steady-state quantity of fuel from the table.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the steady-state quantity of fuel is determined by reference to a map.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel is based on a non-linear function of the difference between the previously determined quantity of fuel and the current steady-state quantity of fuel.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel is calculated by applying an engine sensitivity factor to the difference between the previously determined quantity of fuel and the current steady-state quantity of fuel.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the sensitivity is a non-linear function.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising manipulating a device that adjusts a trim factor, wherein the trim factor varies the engine sensitivity factor.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein a decay factor is applied to the transitory quantity of fuel each subsequent engine cycle.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the decay is a non-linear function.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel for a given transition in engine state affects the quantity of fuel delivered to the engine for a duration equal to a predetermined number of cycles.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel for a given transition in engine state does not affect the quantity of fuel delivered to the engine after the predetermined number of cycles.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the duration is a variable number of cycles.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitory quantity of fuel is further based on an operator manipulated device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the operator manipulated device is manipulated during operation of the engine.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising retaining the trim factor in a memory device.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising retrieving the trim factor from the memory device.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the trim factor is non-linear.

36. A method of adjusting a transitory quantity of fuel delivered to an engine when an engine operating state transitions, comprising:

determining a current steady-state quantity of fuel to be delivered to the engine;

calculating an initial transitory quantity of fuel by applying an engine sensitivity factor to a difference between a previously determined quantity of fuel and the current steady-state quantity of fuel;

manipulating a trim device that varies a trim factor;

calculating a trimmed transitory quantity of fuel by applying the trim factor to the initial transitory quantity of fuel;

actuating a trim defeat device that alternates between an enable trim mode and disable trim mode when actuated;

setting the transitory quantity of fuel equal to the initial transitory quantity of fuel when trim mode is disabled; and

setting the transitory quantity of fuel equal to the trimmed transitory quantity of fuel when trim mode is enabled.

40. An engine fuel control apparatus, comprising:

a processor having an output and a memory, whereby the memory contains fuel delivery data and instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to

determine a current steady-state amount of fuel to be delivered by reference to the fuel delivery data,

add a transitory quantity of fuel, based on a difference between a previously determined quantity of fuel and the current steady-state amount of fuel to be delivered, to the current steady-state amount of fuel to be delivered for a period of time following initiation of the transition; and

apply a signal corresponding to that amount of fuel to the output;

a fuel supply device; and

a fuel supply actuator coupled to the output of the processor and operably coupled to the fuel supply device to control fuel flow therethrough.

41. An engine fuel control apparatus, comprising:

a processor having an input and an output, whereby a signal corresponding to a steady-state amount of fuel to be provided to the engine plus a transitory amount of fuel to be provided to the engine is incident on the output;

a fuel supply device;

a fuel supply actuator coupled to the output of the processor and operably coupled to the fuel supply device to control fuel flow therethrough;

an operator actuated input device coupled to said processor, whereby actuation of the input device adjusts the transitory amount of fuel to be provided to the engine.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the fuel supply device includes a fuel injector.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the fuel supply device includes a carburetor.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the input device is manipulated by an operator of a vehicle driven by the engine.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the input device is a potentiometer.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the input device includes a trim up contact and a trim down contact.

47. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the trim up contact increments transitory fuel quantity delivered and the trim down contact decrements transitory fuel quantity delivered.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising a trim defeat contact that alternates transitory fuel quantity delivered between a base fuel amount that is unaffected by the input device and a trimmed fuel amount that is affected by the input device.

49. A method of adjusting an amount of fuel to be provided to an engine during a transition in engine state, comprising:

determining a steady-state quantity of fuel to be delivered to the engine;

calculating a transitory quantity of fuel to be delivered to the engine;

manipulating a device that adjusts the transitory amount of fuel to be provided to the engine, and

delivering an amount of fuel to the engine that is equal to the steady-state quantity of fuel plus the manipulated transitory quantity of fuel.