ABNORMALITY DETECTION DEVICE FOR HUMIDITY SENSOR

• US 20170198666A1
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: ITO, Hironori
• Granted Patent: US 10,436,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0414 Air temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0418 Air humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/222 relating to the failure of sensors or parameter detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/1038 for temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10393 for characterising a multi-component mixture, e.g. for the composition such as humidity, density or viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/56 by investigating moisture content
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor has a humidity sensor disposed in an intake passage, a temperature sensor to detect an intake air temperature, and a controller. The controller is configured to detect a first sensor signal at a time of the intake air temperature being a first intake air temperature, and a second sensor signal at a time of the intake air temperature changing from the first intake air temperature and reaching a second intake air temperature, calculate values from which an influence of a temperature difference between the first and second intake air temperatures is excluded, from the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, as respective humidity index values, and detect presence or absence of abnormality of the humidity sensor according to whether or not a deviation degree of these humidity index values is larger than a predetermined degree.

Claims

1. An abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor, comprising:

a humidity sensor that is disposed in an intake passage of an internal combustion engine, and outputs a sensor signal corresponding to relative humidity of intake air in the intake passage;

a temperature sensor to detect an intake air temperature that is a temperature of the intake air; and

a processing circuitry that is configured to detect presence or absence of abnormality of the humidity sensor based on the sensor signal and the intake air temperature,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to;

detect a first sensor signal that is the sensor signal at a time of the intake air temperature being a first intake air temperature, and a second sensor signal that is the sensor signal at a time of the intake air temperature changing from the first intake air temperature and reaching a second intake air temperature,

calculate values from which an influence of a temperature difference between the first intake air temperature and the second intake air temperature is excluded, from the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, as a first humidity index value and a second humidity index value, respectively, and

detect presence or absence of abnormality of the humidity sensor according to whether or not a deviation degree of the first humidity index value and the second humidity index value is larger than a predetermined degree.

2. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

calculate a value correlated with the relative humidity at a time of the intake air temperature being a predetermined reference intake air temperature, as the first humidity index value, by using the first sensor signal; and

calculate a value correlated with the relative humidity at a time of the intake air temperature being the reference intake air temperature, as the second humidity index value, by using the second sensor signal.

3. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the reference intake air temperature is the second intake air temperature.

4. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the reference intake air temperature is the first intake air temperature.

5. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

calculate a value correlated with first absolute humidity that is absolute humidity at the time of the intake air temperature being the first intake air temperature, as the first humidity index value, by using the first sensor signal, and

calculate a value correlated with second absolute humidity that is absolute humidity at a time of the intake air temperature being the second intake air temperature, as the second humidity index value, by using the second sensor signal.

6. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to detect the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal when the intake air temperature changes from the first intake air temperature to the second intake air temperature, in a warming-up period or a soak period of the internal combustion engine.

7. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to restrict detection of the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, until an integrated value of a volume of intake air that is taken into the intake passage after start of the internal combustion engine exceeds a capacity from an inlet to the humidity sensor in the intake passage, in a warming-up period of the internal combustion engine.

8. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to set the second intake air temperature in such a manner that the temperature difference becomes a predetermined temperature difference or more.

9. The abnormality detection device for a humidity sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to restrict detection of the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal when gas containing fuel components flows in the intake passage of the internal combustion engine.