Methods and Apparatus for Engine Analysis Using Internal Electrical Signals

• US 20130340512A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thompson Automotive Labs, LLC
• Original Assignee: Thompson Automotive Labs, LLC
• Inventors: Horlbeck, Eric G., Thompson, John, Carr, Emery, Eberhardt, Allen C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,200,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/114.02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/286 comprising means for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/288 for performing a transformation into the frequency domain, e.g. Fourier transformation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1015 Engines misfires
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/10 by measuring variations of frequency of stressed vibrating elements, e.g. of stressed strings using resistance strain gauges G01L1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/11 by detecting misfire
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/12 by monitoring vibrations

Abstract

A method of analyzing an engine for misfire activity includes receiving an electrical signal associated with a plurality of cycles of the engine, identifying energy spikes in the electrical signal associated with cylinder firings in the engine, generating engine speed estimates based on spacing between the energy spikes, and analyzing anomalies in the engine speed estimates to identify misfire activity in the engine. Also described is a method of analyzing an engine for misfire activity including receiving an electrical signal associated with the engine, detecting AC ripple in the electrical signal, generating engine speed estimates in response to the detected AC ripple, and analyzing anomalies in the engine speed estimates to identify misfire activity in the engine.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing an engine for misfire activity, comprising:

receiving an electrical signal associated with a plurality of cycles of the engine;

identifying energy spikes in the electrical signal associated with cylinder firings in the engine;

generating engine speed estimates based on spacing between the energy spikes; and

analyzing anomalies in the engine speed estimates to identify misfire activity in the engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy spikes are associated with spark plug firings in the engine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the energy spikes comprises:

filtering the electrical signal with a matched filter to isolate the energy spikes; and

discarding outlying spikes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the engine speed estimates is performed in response to a crank angle and a time spacing between the energy spikes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the anomalies comprise changes in engine speed, the method further comprising weighting the anomalies based on a magnitude of the change in engine speed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical signal comprises a 12 Volt signal associated with the engine.

7. A method of analyzing an engine for misfire activity, comprising:

receiving an electrical signal associated with a plurality of cycles of the engine;

identifying components of the electrical signal associated with alternator poles in the engine;

generating engine speed estimates based on timing of the alternator poles; and

analyzing anomalies in the engine speed estimates to identify misfire activity in the engine.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising filtering the electrical signal to reduce DC components in the electrical signal.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising filtering the electrical signal using a median filter to reduce impulse noise in the electrical signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising filtering the electrical signal using a bandpass filter to precondition the electrical signal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying components of the electrical signal associated with alternator poles comprises performing a fast Fourier transform of the electrical signal.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining accelerations of the engine due to cylinder firings derived from the engine speed estimates.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining changes in energy associated with the accelerations of the engine due to cylinder firings, and identifying misfire activity when a change in energy of the engine associated with the accelerations of the engine due to cylinder firings is less than a predetermined amount.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the electrical signal comprises a 12 Volt signal associated with the engine.

15. A method of analyzing an engine for misfire activity, comprising:

receiving an electrical signal associated with the engine;

detecting AC ripple in the electrical signal;

generating engine speed estimates in response to the detected AC ripple; and

analyzing anomalies in the engine speed estimates to identify misfire activity in the engine.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the AC ripple in the electrical signal comprises performing a fast fourier transform of a sample of the electrical signal less than 20 ms long and identifying peaks in a spectrum of a bandpass signal of the electrical signal at a frequency between 700 Hz and 4000 Hz.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing amplitude variations from the sample of the electrical signal by forming an envelope between peaks in the bandpass electrical signal and normalizing the electrical signal with respect to the envelope.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the envelope comprises a piecewise spline between peaks in the bandpass electrical signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the envelope comprises a linear envelope.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the engine speed estimates comprises performing a short time fourier transform analysis on the electrical signal to generate a frequency domain signal, and tracking changes in location of spectrum peaks over time in response to changes in the frequency domain signal.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising performing frequency domain autocorrelation in at least one short time fourier transform frame to reduce noise therein.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying anomalies in the engine speed by comparing heights of peaks in the engine speed relative to preceding valleys in the engine speed.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising smoothing the frequency domain signal, wherein identifying anomalies in the engine speed is performed on a smoothed version of the frequency domain signal.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the AC ripple comprises harmonic components of a spark signal, variations in a DC alternator signal, and/or harmonics components of an exhaust signal.