Method and device for electronic spark control in the event of the failure of the phase detector

• US 6,662,781 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Torno, Oskar, Haeming, Werner, Kluth, Carsten, Baeuerle, Michael, Heinstein, Axel, Franke, Steffen
• Primary Examiner(s): ARGENBRIGHT, TONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/979,581
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 123/406.16, 123/406.18, 123/406.21, 123/406.29, 73/350.4
• US Class Current: 123/406.16
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/222 relating to the failure of sensors or parameter detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 15/08 having multiple-spark ignition, i.e. ignition occurring simultaneously at different places in one engine cylinder or in two or more separate engine cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1526 with means for taking into account incorrect functioning of the pinking sensor or of the electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method and a device for controlling knock in response to the failure of a phase detector are described, which implement the normal, cylinder-selective knock control under the condition, that the dual ignition is not activated. If the dual ignition is activated when the phase detector fails, then the knock control is carried out, using a non-cylinder-selective measure. Such a non-cylinder-selective measure could include safety-ignition retard or knock control, using one knock-detection threshold value for all of the cylinders.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a knock of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, comprising the steps of:

assigning each of the cylinders an ignition coil to generate a spark for a respective spark plug situated in each of the cylinders;

causing a speed sensor to generate a speed sensor signal indicating in which of the cylinders a piston is at top dead center;

causing a phase detector to generate a phase detector signal indicating which of the cylinders is in a power stroke;

individually generating for each of the cylinders a knock control signal in response to a presence of the speed sensor signal and the phase detector signal, wherein;

a dual ignition that generates a spark at each top dead center in each of the cylinders is capable of being activated;

in response to the phase detector failing while the dual ignition is activated, activating an emergency strategy for achieving a knock control, the emergency strategy including a non-cylinder-selective measure; and

in response to the phase detector failing while the dual ignition is not activated, activating a normal, cylinder-selective knock control.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

one of a permanently preset ignition-advance angle and a differential ignition-advance angle is used for the non-cylinder-selective measure to control the knock.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

a uniform knock-detection threshold value is used for all of the cylinders, as a non-cylinder-selective, knock control measure, in order to detect the knock.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

selecting, in a universal control unit, an appropriate, non-cylinder-specific measure as a function of parameters that correspond to a design of the internal combustion engine.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein:

the parameters correspond to a number of the cylinders and a number of knock sensors.

6. A device for controlling a knock of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, each one of the cylinders being assigned an ignition coil to generate a spark for a respective spark plug situated in the cylinders, comprising:

a speed sensor for detecting a top dead center of one of the cylinders, belonging to the internal combustion engine;

a phase detector for determining which of the cylinders is in a power stroke, belonging to the internal combustion engine;

a knock control system for generating a separate knock control signal for each of the cylinders, when the speed sensor and the phase detector are functioning correctly; and

a device for producing a dual ignition that generates a spark at each top dead center in each of the cylinders when the phase detector fails, wherein;

in response to the phase detector failing while the device for producing the dual ignition is activated, the device for controlling the knock is operated, using an emergency knock-control strategy, the emergency knock-control strategy including a non-cylinder-selective measure, and

in response to the phase detector failing while the device for producing the dual ignition is not activated, the device for controlling the knock generates a normal, cylinder-selective knock control signal.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein:

one of a permanently preset ignition-advance angle and a differential ignition-advance angle is transmitted to an ignition control unit as the non-cylinder-selective measure to control the knock.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein:

a uniform knock-detection threshold value is implemented as the non-cylinder-selective measure to control the knock for all of the cylinders.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein:

an appropriate, non-cylinder-specific measure is selected as a function of parameters that correspond to a design of the internal combustion engine.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein:

the parameters correspond to a number of the cylinders and a number of knock sensors.