Electronic engine control system having net engine torque calculator

• US 6,016,459 A
• Filed: 06/23/1998
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Navistar International Transportation Corp. (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Isaac, Emad S., Iwaszkiewicz, Titus J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US09/103,267
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 701/105, 701/102, 123/435, 123/436, 123/480, 123/492, 123/493
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0406 Intake manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0414 Air temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1004 Estimation of the output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/703 Atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/023 in relation with the gear ratio shifting conjoint control for improving gear change B60W30/19
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/083 taking into account engine load variation, e.g. air-conditionning

Abstract

An electronic control (18) for a combustion engine that forms a portion of an automotive vehicle powertrain and has an output shaft for powering a drivetrain portion (14, 16, 17, 19) of the powertrain to propel the vehicle. The control has at least one ambient parameter variable input source representing a respective ambient parameter (EOT, BAP, AIT, and MAP) useful in deriving gross torque output of the combustion engine. The control also has at least one operating variable input source (EFC, ACD, DIT_-- ADJ) representing a respective operating parameter useful in deriving a reduction in gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine, and a processor for processing a respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source and for processing a respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source to derive torque at the output shaft of the engine for powering the drivetrain to propel the vehicle.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle comprising:

a powertrain that includes a combustion engine having an output shaft powering a drivetrain to propel the vehicle;

at least one ambient parameter variable input source representing a respective ambient parameter useful in deriving gross torque output of the combustion engine;

at least one operating variable input source representing a respective operating parameter useful in deriving a reduction in gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine;

a processor for deriving net torque output of the combustion engine at the output shaft of the engine for powering the drivetrain to propel the vehicle by processing at least a respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source to derive gross torque output of the combustion engine, processing at least a respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source to derive a reduction in gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine, and processing the derived gross torque output and the derived reduction in gross torque output to derive the net torque output; and

a utilization device in the drivetrain whose operation at least at times utilizes the derived net torque output.

2. An automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 1 in which the utilization device comprises a multi-gear transmission.

3. An automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 1 in which the utilization device comprises a traction control mechanism.

4. An electronic control for a combustion engine that forms a portion of an automotive vehicle powertrain and has an output shaft for powering a drivetrain portion of the powertrain to propel the vehicle, the control comprising:

at least one ambient parameter variable input source representing a respective ambient parameter useful in deriving gross torque output of the combustion engine;

at least one operating variable input source representing a respective operating parameter useful in deriving a reduction in gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine; and

a processor for deriving net torque output of the combustion engine at the output shaft of the engine for powering the drivetrain to propel the vehicle by processing at least a respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source to derive gross torque output of the combustion engine, processing at least a respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source to derive a reduction in gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine, and processing the derived gross torque output and the derived reduction in gross torque output to derive the net torque output.

5. An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 in which the at least one operating variable input source representing a respective operating parameter useful in deriving a reduction from gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine comprises an accessory powered by the engine, and the respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source comprises a signal correlated to the accessory.

6. An electronic control as set forth in claim 5 in which the accessory comprises an air conditioner compressor.

7. An electronic control as set forth in claim 5 in which the accessory comprises a fan for drawing air through a radiator of a cooling system for the engine.

8. An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 in which the engine comprises a fuel injection system that is under the control of the electronic control, and the respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source comprises a signal correlated to fuel injection timing offsets.

9. An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 in which the respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source comprises a respective signal correlated to engine operating temperature.

10. An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 in which the respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source comprises a respective signal correlated to barometric absolute pressure.

11. An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 in which the respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source comprises a respective signal correlated to inlet air temperature.

12. An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 in which the respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source comprises a respective signal correlated to manifold absolute pressure.

13. An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 in which there are plural ambient parameter variable input sources which provide respective signals correlated respectively to engine operating temperature, barometric absolute pressure, inlet air temperature, and manifold absolute pressure, the respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source comprises respective signals correlated to engine operating temperature, barometric absolute pressure, inlet air temperature, the at least one operating variable input source representing a respective operating parameter useful in deriving a reduction from gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine comprises an accessory powered by the engine, and the respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source comprises a signal correlated to the accessory.

14. An electronic control as set forth in claim 13 in which the processor contains a reference torque that is particular to the engine, the processor multiplies that reference torque by the respective signals correlated respectively to engine operating temperature, barometric absolute pressure, and inlet air temperature to obtain a product, and the processor subtracts the signal correlated to the accessory from that product to thereby obtain a result.

15. An electronic control as set forth in claim 14 in which one of the plural ambient parameter variable input sources comprises an intake manifold absolute pressure sensor, the respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source comprises a signal correlated to intake manifold absolute pressure, and the processor adds the signal correlated to intake manifold absolute pressure to the product thereby adding to the result.

16. An electronic control as set forth in claim 15 in which the engine comprises a fuel injection system that is under the control of the electronic control, the respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source comprises a signal correlated to fuel injection timing offsets, and the processor multiplies the result by the signal correlated to fuel injection timing offsets.

17. In a control for a combustion engine that forms a portion of an automotive vehicle powertrain and has an output shaft for powering a drivetrain portion of the powertrain to propel the vehicle, the method which comprises:

measuring at least one ambient parameter variable input representing a respective ambient parameter useful in deriving gross torque output of the combustion engine;

measuring at least one operating variable input source representing a respective operating parameter useful in deriving a reduction in gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine; and

deriving net torque at the output shaft of the engine for powering the drivetrain to propel the vehicle by processing at least a respective signal correlated to the at least one ambient parameter variable input source to derive gross torque output of the combustion engine, processing at least a respective signal correlated to the at least one operating parameter variable input source to derive a reduction in gross torque output of the combustion engine due to operation of the combustion engine, and processing the derived gross torque output and the derived reduction in gross torque output to derive the net torque output.