Method of actuator control

• US 20090267557A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BorgWarner Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BorgWarner Incorporated
• Inventors: Labataille, Joseph, Keefover, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/565
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0007 for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines control of the pumps per se F02B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0077 Control of the EGR valve or actuator, e.g. duty cycle, closed loop control of position EGR valve position sensor F02M26/48
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2429 Methods of calibrating or learning
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2441 characterised by the learning conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36518 Selection of calibration program as function of parameter to be calibrated
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42152 Learn, self, auto tuning, calibrating, environment adaptation, repetition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45018 Car, auto, vehicle

Abstract

The present invention is related to a method of controlling a device having a calibration process. The calibration process has a partial calibration routine and a calibration routine. A detector within the control system is capable of receiving one or more input signals and determining whether a partial calibration or calibration should occur. The first step in the process involves starting the control method where the detector receives input signals or generates it own data within the detector. The detector also determines whether a partial calibration routine or a calibration routine will take place based upon the value of the input signals received. A partial calibration routine will be performed if the input signals to the detector do not favor a calibration.

Claims

1. The method of controlling a calibration process comprising the steps of:

providing a calibration process having a partial calibration routine and a calibration routine;

providing a detector capable of receiving one or more input signals;

starting a control method wherein said detector receives said input signal;

determining whether a partial calibration or a calibration routine will take place based upon the values of said input signals;

performing said partial calibration routine if said input signals to said detector do not favor said calibration wherein said partial calibration routine calibrates said device to a limitation, so that said device learns or verifies said characteristic; and

operating said device using said partial learned or verified characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said limitation is the operating range of the device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the method of controlling the calibration process is used for determining operational functions of a device, the operational functions are selected from the group comprising one of:

mechanical stops, current or voltage fluctuation, air flow capacity, torque range, fuel metering, fuel quantity, force, linear travel or rotary movement.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said input signals relate to one or more of a group comprising, vehicle electrical system values, engine speed or vehicle speed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said characteristic comprises one of the following of the group comprising, span air flow of an air pump, range of electrical current, angular revolution for torque determination.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said method of controlling a calibration process is used for calibrating a device selected from the group comprising one of:

turbochargers, exhaust gas recirculation valves, throttle valves, shift actuators, transfer case shift mechanisms, clutches and transmission shift mechanisms, variable cam timing mechanisms, fuel injectors or tuning actuators.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of commanding a calibration to take place wherein said device learns or verifies said first characteristic at said first limitation of said operating range of said device;

learning or verifying a second characteristic located at a second limitation of said operating range of said device; and

operating said device using said first characteristic and said second characteristic values obtained during said calibration.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of operating said device also uses a previously stored value.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said previously stored value is one of a group comprising a pre-programmed value, an end of line value or a value from the last calibration.

10. A method for controlling an actuator comprising the steps of:

providing an engine control unit (ECU) for transmitting an input signal;

providing an actuator control unit (ACU) that is associated with said actuator, wherein said ACU is configured to receive said input signal from said ECU;

transmitting said input signal from said ECU to said ACU, wherein said ACU receives said input signal and said ACU commands said actuator to perform a self-calibration process; and

wherein, after initial said self-calibration process is complete, said ACU disregards other factors that direct said ACU to command said actuator to perform a second said self-calibration process until said ECU transmits a second said input signal to said ACU, and said ACU commands said actuator to run a second said self-calibration process.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the method of controlling a calibration process for determining operational functions of a device selected from the group comprising one of:

mechanical stops, current or voltage fluctuation, air flow capacity, torque range, fuel metering, fuel quantity, force, linear travel or rotary movement.

12. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 10 wherein said ACU commands said actuator to perform a partial calibration process while said ACU is disregarding said other factors that direct said ACU to command said actuator to perform a second self-calibration process.

13. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 12 further comprising the step of operating said actuator using the learned or verified value from said partial calibration and a stored value which is one selected from a group comprising a pre-programmed value, end of line value or a value from the last occurrence of a calibration.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said actuator is one selected from the group comprising turbochargers, exhaust gas recirculation valves, throttle valves, shift actuators, transfer case shift mechanisms, clutches and transmission shift mechanisms, variable cam timing mechanisms, fuel injectors or tuning actuators.

15. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 10 wherein said ECU transmits the initial said input signal to said ACU prior to said engine being started.

16. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 10 wherein said. ECU transmits the second said input signal to said ACU after said engine is shutdown.

17. A method for controlling an actuator comprising the steps of:

providing an engine control unit (ECU) for transmitting an input signal;

providing an actuator control unit (ACU) that is associated with said actuator, wherein said ACU is configured to receive said input signal from said ECU;

transmitting said input signal from said ECU to said ACU, wherein said ACU receives said input signal and said ACU commands said actuator to perform a self-calibration process; and

wherein, after initial said self-calibration process is complete, other factors direct said ACU to command said actuator to perform a partial calibration process.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the method of controlling a calibration is process is used for determining operational functions of a device selected from the group comprising one of:

mechanical stops, current or voltage fluctuation, air flow capacity, torque range, fuel metering, fuel quantity, force, linear travel or rotary movement.

19. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 17 wherein said ECU transmits the initial said input signal to said ACU prior to said engine being started.

20. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 17 wherein said ECU transmits a second said input signal to said ACU after said engine is shutdown.

21. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 17 further comprising the step of operating said actuator using a learned or verified value obtained from said calibration process and a previous stored value that is one selected from a group comprising a pre-programmed value, an end of line value or a value from a last calibration of the actuator.

22. The method for controlling an actuator of claim 17 wherein said actuator is a device selected from the group comprising turbo chargers, exhaust gas recirculation valves, throttle valves, shift actuators, transfer case shift mechanisms, clutches and transmission shift mechanisms, variable cam timing mechanisms, fuel injectors or tuning actuators.