Fuel and spark compensation for reactivating cylinders in a variable displacement engine

• US 6,736,108 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Rayl, Allen B., Aro, William R., Matthews, Gregory Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Argenbright, Tony M.
• Application Number:
  US10/150,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 123/198.F, 123/406.23, 123/406.24, 123/406.45, 123/406.47, 123/481
• US Class Current: 123/406.23
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/1832 eight
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/22 with cylinders in V, fan, or star arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 15/00 Varying compression ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/21 during a transition between engine operation modes or states
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1504 with particular means during a transient phase, e.g. acceleration, deceleration, gear change during starting F02P5/1506
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An engine control system in a vehicle including a variable displacement internal combustion engine, an intake manifold coupled to the variable displacement internal combustion engine, a controller for controlling the displacement of the variable displacement internal combustion engine, and where the controller varies the spark for a reactivating cylinder during the transition from deactivation to reactivation.

Claims

1. An engine control system in a vehicle comprising:

a variable displacement internal combustion engine;

an intake manifold coupled to said variable displacement internal combustion engine;

a controller for controlling the displacement of said variable displacement internal combustion engine;

wherein said controller varies the spark for a reactivating cylinder during a transition from deactivation to reactivation; and

wherein said controller determines a reactivation cycle gain based on a time the cylinder is in a deactivated state and the engine cycle.

2. The engine control system of claim 1 wherein said controller advances the spark for a reactivation cylinder during a transition from deactivation to reactivation.

3. The engine control system of claim 1 wherein said controller retards the spark for a reactivation cylinder during a transition from deactivation to reactivation.

4. The engine control system of claim 1 wherein said controller enriches the fuel for a cylinder during the reactivation of the cylinder.

5. The engine control system of claim 1 wherein said variable displacement internal combustion engine is an eight-cylinder engine.

6. The engine control system of claim 1 wherein said variable displacement internal combustion engine is an overhead valve engine.

7. The engine control system of claim 1 wherein said variable displacement internal combustion engine is an overhead cam engine.

8. A method of controlling the displacement of a variable displacement internal combustion engine comprising the step of:

enriching the fuel mixture for a cylinder upon reactivation of the cylinder; and

determining a spark reactivation cycle gain based on a time the cylinder is in a deactivated state.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of advancing the spark for the cylinder upon reactivation.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of retarding the spark for the cylinder upon reactivation.

11. A method of controlling the torque output of a variable displacement internal combustion engine comprising:

reactivating a cylinder;

varying the spark for the cylinder by determining a reactivation cycle gain based on a time the cylinder is in a deactivated state and the engine cycle; and

enriching the fuel mixture for the cylinder.

12. A method of controlling the torque output of a variable displacement internal combustion engine comprising:

reactivating a cylinder;

varying the spark for the cylinder;

enriching the fuel mixture for the cylinder by generating a delta equivalence based on a time the cylinder is in a deactivated state and the air flow in the cylinder; and

determining a reactivation cycle gain based on a time the cylinder is in a deactivated state and the engine cycle.