CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ENGINE IN RESPONSE TO DETECTING AN OUT OF RANGE PRESSURE SIGNAL

• US 20100280742A1
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: KOTSONAS, MICHAEL N., GWIDT, JESSE M., MILLER, JON C., LUCIDO, MICHAEL J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,215,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/223 Diagnosis of fuel pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/227 Limping Home, i.e. taking specific engine control measures at abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0602 Fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0604 Estimation of fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3809 Common rail control systems common rail apparatus F02M55/025, F02M63/0225
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method and control module for operating an engine that includes a pressure range determination module that determines a pressure value for a pressure sensor in a fuel rail is out of range. A fuel rail pressure estimate module that determines a predicted pressure value. An engine control module that operates the engine using the predicted pressure value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a pressure value for a pressure sensor in a fuel rail, determining the pressure value is out of range;

determining a predicted pressure value; and

operating the engine using the predicted pressure value.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein operating the engine using the predicted pressure value comprises operating the engine with a limited speed using the predicted pressure value.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein operating the engine using the predicted pressure value comprises operating the engine with a limited torque using the predicted pressure value.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein operating the engine using the predicted pressure value until a low pressure fuel pump pressure is reached within a fuel rail.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising disabling a high pressure pump after determining the pressure value is out of range.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating an indicator when operating the engine using the predicted pressure value

2. A method as recited in clam 1 wherein determining a pressure value comprises determining a first pressure value and a second pressure value after the first pressure value.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein determining the pressure value is out of range comprises determining the second pressure value is out of range.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 further wherein determining a predicted pressure value comprises determining the predicted pressure value based on the first pressure value.

5. A method as recited in claim 2 further wherein determining a predicted pressure value comprises determining the predicted pressure value based on the first pressure value and an amount of fuel injected since the pressure value.

6. A method as recited in claim 2 further wherein determining a predicted pressure value comprises determining the predicted pressure value based on the first pressure value, a fuel rail volume and an amount of fuel injected since the second time.

7. A method as recited in claim 2 further wherein determining a predicted pressure value comprises determining the predicted pressure value based on the first pressure value and a fuel tank pressure.

8. A method as recited in claim 2 further wherein determining a predicted pressure value comprises determining the predicted pressure value based on the first pressure value, a fuel rail volume, an amount of fuel injected since the second time and a fuel tank pressure.

14. A control module comprising:

a pressure range determination module that determines a pressure value for a pressure sensor in a fuel rail is out of range;

a fuel rail pressure estimate module that determines a predicted pressure value; and

an engine control module that operates the engine using the predicted pressure value.

15. A control module as recited in claim 14 wherein pressure range determination module determines a second pressure value after the first pressure value is out of range.

16. A control module as recited in claim 14 wherein the predicted pressure value is based on the first pressure value.

17. A control module as recited in claim 14 wherein the predicted pressure value is based on the first pressure value and an amount of fuel injected since the first pressure value.

18. A control module as recited in claim 14 wherein the engine control module operates the engine using the predicted pressure value with a limited speed or torque using the predicted pressure value.

19. A control module as recited in claim 14 wherein the engine control module operates the engine using the predicted pressure value until a low pressure fuel pump pressure is reached within a fuel rail.

20. A system comprising:

a high pressure pump; and

the control module as recited in claim 14 that disables the high pressure pump after determining the pressure value is out of range.