Sensor arrangement and engine management device for a combustion engine

• US 6,446,600 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1998
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Stiltz, Winfried, Scherer, Matthias, Hemberger, Hans Hubert, Alberter, Gunther
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIMIE, MAHMOUD
• Application Number:
  US09/108,491
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 731/181, 731/182, 123/396, 123/399, 123/406.52, 123/494, 123/438, 701/102
• US Class Current: 123/399
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/10 of the electric type
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0294 Throttle control device with provisions for actuating electric or electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0404 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0406 Intake manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0414 Air temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/08 Redundant elements, e.g. two sensors for measuring the same parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/187 using a hot wire flow sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits

Abstract

A sensor arrangement and engine management device for a combustion engine, the engine management device including the sensor arrangement for detecting variables indicative of engine load, a mechanism for determining engine load on the basis of measured values supplied by the sensor, as well as a throttle-valve position control loop. At least two of the sensors of the sensor arrangement, which may include a mass air-flow sensor, an intake-air temperature sensor, an induction-pipe pressure sensor, and a throttle-valve position sensor, are microintegrated in a modular unit. The engine management device is made such that a sensor device with the at least two sensors, the mechanism for determining, engine load and/or the throttle-valve position controller used in the throttle-valve position control loop are microintegrated in a modular unit. The engine management device can be used, for example, for controlling a spark ignition engine in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. An engine management device for a combustion engine comprising:

a sensor device for detecting variables indicative of engine load, the sensor device including a sensor arrangement having at least two sensors of a sensor set, the sensor set consisting of a mass air-flow sensor, an intake-air temperature sensor, an induction-pipe pressure sensor, and a throttle-valve position sensor;

an engine load evaluator for determining the engine load on the basis of measured values supplied by the sensor device; and

a throttle-valve position control loop including a throttle-valve position controller, a throttle-valve servo unit and a throttle-valve position sensor, the throttle-valve position controller producing a throttle-valve adjustment signal as a function of the determined engine load;

the at least two sensors, the engine load evaluator and/or the throttle-valve position controller being microintegrated in a modular unit.

10. The engine management device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

17. The engine management device as recited in claim 1 wherein at least three sensors of the sensor set are microintegerated in the modular unit.

19. The sensor arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein at least three sensors of the sensor set are microintegrated in the modular unit.

20. The sensor arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein at least four sensors of the sensor set are microintegrated in the modular unit.

2. An engine management device for a combustion engine comprising:

a sensor device for detecting variables indicative of engine load, the sensor device including a sensor arrangement having at least two sensors of a sensor set, the sensor set consisting of a mass air-flow sensor, an intake-air temperature sensor, an induction-pipe pressure sensor, and a throttle-valve position sensor

an engine load evaluator for determining the engine load on the bases of measured values supplied by the sensor device; and

a throttle-valve position control loop including a throttle-valve position controller, a throttle-valve servo unit and a throttle-valve position sensor, the throttle-valve position controller producing a throttle-valve adjustment signal as a function of the determined engine load;

the at least two sensors, the engine load evaluator and/or the throttle-valve position controller being microintegrated in a modular unit;

wherein the throttle-valve position sensor includes a first sensor component in the form of a Hall element or a transmitter of electromagnetic waves linked to an evaluation electronics element and a second sensor component in the form of a magnetic member or an absorber element for electromagnetic waves, the second sensor component being positioned at a peripheral location on a throttle valve so as to permit swivel motion of the throttle valve in an air intake manifold, and the first sensor component being position at an opposed location on the air intake manifold, and the first sensor component as well as the evaluation electronics element being microintegrated in the modular unit.

3. The engine management device as recited in claim 2 wherein the throttle-valve servo unit includes a brushless synchronous motor having position-sensing Hall elements, output signals from the Hall elements being able to be fed to an evaluation electronics element, the evaluation electronics element forming part of the throttle-valve position sensor and being microintergated into the modular unit.

7. The engine management device as recited in claim 2 further comprising a power electronics element microintegrated in the modular unit, the power electronics element energizing power-consuming components of the modular unit and the throttle-valve servo unit.

8. The engine management device as recited in claim 3 further comprising a power electronics element microintegrated in the modular unit, the power electronics element energizing power-consuming components of the modular unit and the throttle-valve servo unit.

9. The engine management device as recited in claim 8 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

11. The engine management device as recited in claim 2 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

12. The engine management device as recited in claim 3 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

16. The engine management device as recited in claim 7 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

4. An engine management device for a combustion engine comprising:

a sensor device for detecting variables indicative of engine load, the sensor device including a sensor arrangement having at least two sensors of a sensor set, the sensor set consisting of a mass air-flow sensor, an intake-air temperature sensor, an induction-pipe pressure sensor, and a throttle-valve position sensor;

an engine load evaluator for determining the engine load on the basis of measured values supplied by the sensor device; and

a throttle-valve position control loop including a throttle-valve position controller, a throttle-valve servo unit and a throttle-valve position sensor, the throttle-valve position controller producing a throttle-valve adjustment signal as a function of the determined engine load;

the at least two sensors, the engine load evaluator and/or the throttle-valve position controller being microintegrated in a modular unit;

wherein the throttle-valve servo unit includes a brushless synchronous motor having position-sensing Hall elements, output signals from the Hall elements being able to be fed to an evaluation electronics element, the evaluation electronics element forming part of the throttle-valve position sensor and being microintegrated into the modular unit.

5. The engine management device as recited in claim 4 further comprising a power electronics element microintegrated in the modular unit, the power electronics element energizing power-consuming components of the modular unit and the throttle-valve servo unit.

13. The engine management device as recited in claim 4 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

14. The engine management device as recited in claim 5 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

6. An engine management device for a combustion engine comprising:

a sensor device for detecting variables indicative of engine load, the sensor device including a sensor arrangement having at least two sensors of a sensor set, the sensor set consisting of a mass air-flow sensor, an intake-air temperature sensor, an induction-pipe pressure sensor, and a throttle-valve position sensor;

an engine load evaluator for determining the engine load on the basis of measured values supplied by the sensor device;

a throttle-valve position control loop including a throttle-valve position controller, a throttle-valve servo unit and a throttle-valve position sensor, the throttle-valve position controller producing a throttle-valve adjustment signal as a function of the determined engine load, the at least two sensors, the engine load evaluator and/or the throttle-valve position controller being microintegrated in a modular unit; and

a power electronics element microintegrated in the modular unit, the power electronics element energizing power-consuming components of the modular unit and the throttle-valve servo unit.

15. The engine management device as recited in claim 6 further comprising a safety processor unit microintegrated in the modular unit, the safety processor unit for performing safety functions for throttle-valve adjustment.

18. A sensor arrangement for a combustion engine comprising:

at least two sensors of a sensor set, the sensor set consisting of a mass air-flow sensor, an intake-air temperature sensor, an induction-pipe pressure sensor, and a throttle-valve position sensor, the at least two sensors being microintegrated in a modular unit.