Method of controlling ignition in a multicylinder internal combustion engine

• US 6,032,648 A
• Filed: 10/02/1998
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Mayer, Ulrich, Kaltenbrunn, Peter, Edelmann, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Solis, Erick R.
• Application Number:
  US09/101,607
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 123/406.14, 123/406.16, 123/406.27, 123/406.24
• US Class Current: 123/406.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/11 by detecting misfire

Abstract

A method for controlling ignition in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, such that the control variables are determined on the basis of the parameters sensed by sensors, and such that after output of the control variables, a misfire monitoring operation is performed. After output of an ignition signal, the torque of the combustion event initiated by the ignition event is sensed and compared with an average of the torques of previous combustion events. If, in this context, a deviation of the currently sensed torque from the average of the torques of a definable number of previous combustion events which is greater than a definable threshold occurs, the misfire detection system is switched to inactive status.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an ignition in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine including a misfire detection system, comprising the steps of:

sensing a parameter of the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine;

determining a control variable for the ignition as a function of the sensed parameter;

initiating a combustion event as a function of the control variable;

sensing a first torque of the combustion event;

comparing the first torque to an average of a plurality of second torques, the plurality of second torques corresponding to a predefined number of previous combustion events; and

if a deviation of the first torque from the average of the plurality of second torques is greater than a predefined threshold value, performing the steps of

determining whether the deviation is plausible as a function of the control variable,

if the deviation is plausible, performing a misfire detection operation, and

if the deviation is not plausible, switching the misfire detection system to an inactive status.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the deviation is plausible includes the step of evaluating an ignition timing as a function of a knock control system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the deviation is plausible includes the step of evaluating an ignition timing as a function of a dynamic phase lead.