SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENGINE FUEL CONTROL

• US 20100242582A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Wenbo, Lucido, Michael J., Carr, Mark D., McLain, Kurt D., Miller, Jon C., Hamama, Wajdi B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/114.620
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0082 per groups or banks F02D41/0087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1454 the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/221 relating to the failure of actuators or electrically driven elements
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 17/00 Testing of ignition installations, e.g. in combination with adjusting testing fuel injection apparatus F02M65/00; testing ignition installations in general F23Q23/00; Testing of ignition timing in compression-ignition engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An engine system includes a status determination module and an open-loop fuel control module. The status determination module determines whether a first ignition fuse is in a failure state. The open-loop fuel control module disables a first plurality of fuel injectors and actuates a second plurality of fuel injectors based on a first air/fuel (A/F) ratio when the first ignition fuse is in the failure state, wherein the first ignition fuse and the first plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a first cylinder bank, and wherein a second ignition fuse and the second plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a second cylinder bank.

Claims

1. An engine system, comprising:

a status determination module that determines whether a first ignition fuse is in a failure state; and

an open-loop fuel control module that disables a first plurality of fuel injectors and actuates a second plurality of fuel injectors based on a first air/fuel (A/F) ratio when the first ignition fuse is in the failure state,

wherein the first ignition fuse and the first plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a first cylinder bank, and wherein a second ignition fuse and the second plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a second cylinder bank.

2. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the first A/F ratio is one of stoichiometric and based on at least one of an engine load, an engine speed, and an engine temperature.

3. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the status determination module determines when one a first plurality of ignition coils, a first plurality of spark plugs, a second plurality of ignition coils, and a second plurality of spark plugs is in the failure state,

wherein the first plurality of ignition coils and the first plurality of spark plugs correspond to the first cylinder bank, and wherein the second plurality of ignition coils and the second plurality of spark plugs correspond to the second cylinder bank.

4. The engine system of claim 3, wherein the open-loop fuel control module actuates the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors based on a second A/F ratio when one of the first and second pluralities of ignition coils and the first and second pluralities of spark plugs is in the failure state.

5. The engine system of claim 4, wherein the second A/F ratio is one of richer than stoichiometric and based on a number of the first and second pluralities of ignition coils and the first and second pluralities of spark plugs that are in the failure state.

6. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the status determination module determines whether one of the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors is in the failure state.

7. The engine system of claim 6, wherein the open-loop fuel control module actuates the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors based on a third A/F ratio when one of first and second pluralities of fuel injectors is in the failure state.

8. The engine system of claim 7, wherein the third A/F ratio is one of stoichiometric and based on a number of the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors that are in the failure state.

9. The engine system of claim 3, further comprising:

a closed-loop fuel control module that actuates the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors based on a predetermined A/F ratio and an oxygen level in an exhaust stream when none of the first and second ignition coils, the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors, the first and second pluralities of ignition coils, and the first and second pluralities of spark plugs are in the failure state.

10. A method, comprising:

determining whether a first ignition fuse is in a failure state; and

disabling a first plurality of fuel injectors and actuating a second plurality of fuel injectors based on a first air/fuel (A/F) ratio when the first ignition fuse is in the failure state,

wherein the first ignition fuse and the first plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a first cylinder bank, and wherein a second ignition fuse and the second plurality of fuel injectors correspond to a second cylinder bank.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first A/F ratio is one of stoichiometric and based on at least one of an engine load, an engine speed, and an engine temperature.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining when one a first plurality of ignition coils, a first plurality of spark plugs, a second plurality of ignition coils, and a second plurality of spark plugs is in the failure state,

wherein the first plurality of ignition coils and the first plurality of spark plugs correspond to the first cylinder bank, and wherein the second plurality of ignition coils and the second plurality of spark plugs correspond to the second cylinder bank.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

actuating the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors based on a second A/F ratio when one of the first and second pluralities of ignition coils and the first and second pluralities of spark plugs is in the failure state.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second A/F ratio is one of richer than stoichiometric and based on a number of the first and second pluralities of ignition coils and the first and second pluralities of spark plugs that are in the failure state.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether one of the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors is in the failure state.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

actuating the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors based on a third A/F ratio when one of first and second pluralities of fuel injectors is in the failure state.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third A/F ratio is one of stoichiometric and based on a number of the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors that are in the failure state.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

actuating the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors based on a predetermined A/F ratio and an oxygen level in an exhaust stream when none of the first and second ignition coils, the first and second pluralities of fuel injectors, the first and second pluralities of ignition coils, and the first and second pluralities of spark plugs are in the failure state.