METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR APPLYING ENGINE KNOCK WINDOWS

• US 20200131988A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kiwan, Rani, Hakeem, Mohannad, Glugla, Christopher Paul, Kindree, James Matthew, Karnik, Amey
• Granted Patent: US 10,941,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/085 with sensors measuring combustion processes, e.g. knocking, pressure, ionization, combustion flame
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0215 changing the valve timing only
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0234 changing the valve timing only
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/025 Engine noise, e.g. determined by using an acoustic sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/14 Timing of measurement, e.g. synchronisation of measurements to the engine cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/027 using knock sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/123 the fuel injection being cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/222 relating to the failure of sensors or parameter detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2451 characterised by what is learned or calibrated
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3094 the fuel injection being effected by at least two different injectors, e.g. one in the intake manifold and one in the cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/152 dependent on pinking detecting or indicating knocks in internal-combustion engines G01L23/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/22 for detecting or indicating knocks in internal-combustion engines; Units comprising pressure-sensitive members combined with ignitors for firing internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/221 for detecting or indicating knocks in internal combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for operating an engine that includes a knock control system that may determine contributions of individual noise sources to an engine background noise level. The contributions of the individual noise sources may be the basis for establishing the presence or absence of knock in one or more engine cylinders.

Claims

1. An engine operating method, comprising:

ceasing to supply fuel to a first engine cylinder via a controller;

adjusting open timing of a knock window of the first engine cylinder to span a timing of a closing of a device of a second cylinder via the controller while fuel delivery to the first engine cylinder is ceased; and

sampling output of a knock sensor during the knock window via the controller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an engine knock background noise level via sampling output of the knock sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating an indication of engine knock via the engine knock background noise level.

4. The method of claim 1, where the device is a port fuel injector, and where the engine is rotating when ceasing to supply fuel to the first engine cylinder.

5. The method of claim 1, where the device is a direct fuel injector.

6. The method of claim 1, where the device is a poppet valve.

7. The method of claim 6, where the poppet valve is an intake valve.

8. An engine operating method, comprising:

ceasing to supply fuel to all engine cylinders via a controller;

adjusting poppet valve timing of all engine cylinders such that intake and exhaust valves do not close while knock windows of all engine cylinders are open via the controller while fuel delivery to all engine cylinders is ceased; and

sampling output of one or more knock sensors while knock windows of all engine cylinders are open via the controller.

9. The method of claim 8, where four knock sensors are sampled during a cycle of an engine.

10. The method of claim 8, where adjusting poppet valve timing includes retarding exhaust valve opening.

11. The method of claim 8, where adjusting poppet valve timing includes advancing exhaust valve closing.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising adjusting the poppet valve timing of each cylinder included in all engine cylinders such that the intake or exhaust valves of at least one cylinder close while a knock windows of at least one of all engine cylinders is open.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating an engine knock base background noise level for each cylinder based on data gathered during the sampling of output of the one or more knock sensors.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating an indication of engine knock based on at least one of the engine knock base background noise levels.

15. A system for operating an engine, comprising:

a variable displacement engine including at least one vibration sensing engine knock sensor; and

a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to sample output of a first engine knock sensor during opening of a first knock window of a first cylinder when the first cylinder is activated, and sampling output of a second engine knock sensor during opening of a second knock window of the first cylinder when the first cylinder is deactivated.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to adjusting timing of the second knock window.

17. The system of claim 16, where adjusting timing of the second knock window includes adjusting an open time of the second knock window to span an event associated with a second cylinder.

18. The system of claim 17, where the event associated with the second cylinder is a poppet valve opening or closing.

19. The system of claim 15, where the event associated with the second cylinder is a fuel injector opening or closing.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to generate an engine knock background noise level from sampling output of the first engine knock sensor.