Method For Increasing The Resolution Of Output Signals From At Least One Measuring Sensor On An Internal Combustion Engine And Corresponding Controller

• US 20090287389A1
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bauer, Erwin, Ellmer, Dietmar
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/285 the sensor having a signal processing unit external to the engine control unit
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/023 by determining the cylinder pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2474 Characteristics of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits

Abstract

The resolution of output signals from at least one measuring sensor on an internal combustion engine can be increased by: the working level range of the sensor is divided into at least two range sections, each section is provided with the same given output level range limited with relation to the working level range, for the output signal from the sensor and the switching from one to the other section is carried out independently by the sensor, when a range boundary between two adjacent sections is reached, exceeded or fallen below, the operating point of the internal combustion engine is determined by an engine management based on at least one parameter, the time curve for the raw sensor signal is predicted from at least one set of performance characteristics for the current operating point and the engine management determines which section is current from the predicted raw sensor signal time curve.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the resolution of output signals from at least one measuring sensor for an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

dividing the working level range of the measuring sensor, within which the level values of its raw sensor signal lie, into at least two measuring range segments,

assigning the same predefined output level range of the output signal of the measuring sensor, which is limited compared with the working level range, to each measuring range segment, with the switch from one measuring range segment to the other being carried out independently by the measuring sensor, when a measuring range boundary between two adjacent measuring range segments is reached, exceeded or fallen below,

determining the operating point of the internal combustion engine by means of an engine controller based on at least one operating parameter for its combustion process,

predicting the temporal profile of the raw sensor signal of the measuring sensor from at least one performance characteristic information item for the currently determined operating point, and

determining by the engine controller which measuring range segment of the measuring sensor is currently activated based on this predicted temporal raw sensor signal profile.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein

a cylinder pressure sensor, which is attached to at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine, is used as the measuring sensor and a voltage signal is generated by the cylinder pressure sensor as the raw sensor signal, representing the internal pressure in the cylinder.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein

the predicted raw sensor signal profile has been stored previously as a performance characteristic in the engine controller.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein

the predicted raw sensor signal profile is calculated in the engine controller.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein

the switch from one measuring range segment to another measuring range segment is carried out subject to hysteresis.

6. The method according to claim 1,

wherein

a division into at least two level range segments, which corresponds essentially to the division of the measuring range segments of the measuring sensor, is carried out in the engine controller for the predicted raw sensor signal profile.

7. The method according to claim 1,

wherein

based on the time intervals, which are assigned to the level range segments as periods of validity in the predicted raw sensor signal profile, it is estimated when which measuring range segment of the measuring sensor is switched to active and the actual signal level profile of the raw sensor signal is reconstructed from the level-limited output signal of the measuring sensor and this estimated temporal assignment of the associated active measuring range segment.

8. The method according to claim 1,

wherein

the difference between the period of validity of the respective level range segment of the predicted raw sensor signal profile and the period of validity of the level-limited output signal of the measuring sensor is used to correct the prediction of the raw sensor signal profile adaptively for the next estimation.

9. A control device with at least one calculation unit, operable to increase the resolution of output signals from at least one measuring sensor for an internal combustion engine, the control device being operable to:

divide the working level range of the measuring sensor, within which the level values of its raw sensor signal lie, into at least two measuring range segments,

assign the same predefined output level range of the output signal of the measuring sensor, which is limited compared with the working level range, to each measuring range segment, with the switch from one measuring range segment to the other being carried out independently by the measuring sensor, when a measuring range boundary between two adjacent measuring range segments is reached, exceeded or fallen below, wherein the operating point of the internal combustion engine is determined by means of an engine controlled based on at least one operating parameter for its combustion process, and

to predict the temporal profile of the raw sensor signal of the measuring sensor from at least one performance characteristic information item for the currently determined operation point,

wherein the engine controller determines which measuring range segment of the measuring sensor is currently activated based on this predicted temporal raw sensor signal profile.

10. The device according to claim 9,

comprising a cylinder pressure sensor, which is attached to at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine, and which is used as the measuring sensor and a voltage signal is generated by the cylinder pressure sensor as the raw sensor signal, representing the internal pressure in the cylinder.

11. The device according to claim 9,

wherein

the predicted raw sensor signal profile has been stored previously as a performance characteristic in the engine controller.

12. The device according to claim 9,

wherein

the predicted raw sensor signal profile is calculated in the engine controller.

13. The device according to claim 9,

wherein

the switch from one measuring range segment to another measuring range segment is carried out subject to hysteresis.

14. The device according to claim 9,

wherein

a division into at least two level range segments, which corresponds essentially to the division of the measuring range segments of the measuring sensor, is carried out in the engine controller for the predicted raw sensor signal profile.

15. The device according to claim 9,

wherein

based on the time intervals, which are assigned to the level range segments as periods of validity in the predicted raw sensor signal profile, it is estimated when which measuring range segment of the measuring sensor is switched to active and the actual signal level profile of the raw sensor signal is reconstructed from the level-limited output signal of the measuring sensor and this estimated temporal assignment of the associated active measuring range segment.

16. The device according to claim 9,

wherein

the difference between the period of validity of the respective level range segment of the predicted raw sensor signal profile and the period of validity of the level-limited output signal of the measuring sensor is used to correct the prediction of the raw sensor signal profile adaptively for the next estimation.