Engine calibration development process

• US 6,768,941 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2002
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Sasena, Thomas E., OʼNeill, Jeff S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Johnny H.
• Application Number:
  US10/289,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 701/114, 701/115, 701/33, 731/173
• US Class Current: 701/114
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2432 Methods of calibration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue

Abstract

A system of developing a calibration parameter set for an internal combustion engine includes a host computer having an engine calibration database and a calibration rules check database stored therein, and an engine/calibration development computer separate from the host computer. A first engine calibration parameter set is provided from the engine calibration database of the host computer to the engine/calibration development computer, and therein at least one parameter of the first engine calibration parameter set is modified to form a second engine calibration parameter set. The second engine calibration parameter set or the at least one modified parameter of the first engine calibration parameter set is then provided to the host computer, and therein a calibration rules check of the second engine calibration parameter set or the at least one modified parameter of the first engine calibration parameter set is conducted against the calibration rules check database.

Claims

1. A method of developing a calibration parameter set for an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first engine calibration parameter set to a calibration development computer;

(b) modifying in said calibration development computer at least one parameter of said first engine calibration parameter set to form a second engine calibration parameter set;

(c) providing one of said second engine calibration parameter set and said at least one modified parameter of said first engine calibration parameter set to said host computer; and

(d) conducting in said host computer a first calibration rules check of said one of said second engine calibration parameter set and said at least one modified parameter of said first engine calibration parameter set against a rules check database resident therein.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

(e) executing steps (f)-(h) after executing step (a) and before executing any of steps (b)-(d);

(f) downloading said first engine calibration parameter set from said calibration development computer to an engine control computer configured to control operation of the engine;

(g) conducting performance testing of the engine operating under control of said first engine calibration parameter set resident in said engine control computer; and

(h) executing steps (b)-(d) only if the engine fails said performance testing.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the steps of:

(i) executing step (j) after executing step (g) and before executing any of steps (b)-(d);

(j) omitting steps (b)-(d) and providing said first engine calibration parameter set resident in said calibration development computer as a final engine calibration parameter set to a temporary database resident in said host computer if the engine passes said performance testing.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of conducting in said host computer a second calibration rules check of said final engine calibration parameter set.

5. The method of claim 4 further including the steps of:

(k) executing steps (l)-(m) if said final engine calibration parameter set passes said second calibration rules check;

(l) releasing said final engine calibration parameter set for production use; and

(m) storing said final engine calibration parameter set within said engine calibration database of said host computer as a released engine calibration parameter set.

6. The method of claim 5 further including the step of downloading said released engine calibration parameter set into an engine control computer of a production engine without conducting a further rules check on said released engine calibration parameter set.

7. The method of claim 4 further including the step of notifying said calibration development computer that said final engine calibration parameter set requires modification if said final engine calibration parameter set fails said second calibration rules check.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

(e) executing steps (f)-(g) only if said one of said second engine calibration parameter set and said at least one modified parameter of said first engine calibration parameter set passes said first calibration rules check;

(f) downloading said second engine calibration parameter set from said calibration development computer to an engine control computer configured to control operation of the engine; and

(g) conducting performance testing of the engine operating under control of said second engine calibration parameter set resident in said engine control computer.

9. The method of claim 8 further including the steps of:

(h) executing steps (i)-(k) if said the engine fails said performance testing;

(i) modifying in said calibration development computer at least one parameter of said second engine calibration parameter set to form a third engine calibration parameter set;

(j) providing one of said third engine calibration parameter set and said at least one modified parameter of said second engine calibration parameter set to said host computer; and

(k) conducting in said host computer a second calibration rules check of said one of said third engine calibration parameter set and said at least one modified parameter of said second engine calibration parameter set against said rules check database resident therein.

10. The method of claim 8 further including the step of providing said second engine calibration parameter set resident in said calibration development computer as a final engine calibration parameter set to a temporary database of said host computer if the engine passes said performance testing.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of conducting in said host computer a third calibration rules check of said final engine calibration parameter set.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of:

(h) executing steps (i)-(j) if said final engine calibration parameter set passes said third calibration rules check;

(i) releasing said final engine calibration parameter set for production use; and

(j) storing said final engine calibration parameter set within said engine calibration database of said host computer as a released engine calibration parameter set.

13. The method of claim 12 further including the step of downloading said released engine calibration parameter set into an engine control computer of a production engine without conducting a further rules check on said released engine calibration parameter set.

14. The method of claim 12 further including the step of notifying said calibration development computer that said final engine calibration parameter set requires modification if said final engine calibration parameter set fails said third calibration rules check.

15. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

(e) executing steps (f)-(h) before executing any of steps (a)-(d);

(f) providing to said host computer information relating to a set of desired engine specifications;

(g) selecting from an engine calibration database resident in said host computer an initial engine calibration parameter set corresponding to one of a number of engine calibration parameter sets stored therein that most closely matches said set of desired engine specifications; and

(h) providing said initial engine calibration parameter set to said calibration development computer as said first engine calibration parameter set.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

(i) modifying in said calibration development computer at least one parameter of said initial engine calibration parameter set to form a prototype engine calibration parameter set;

(j) conducting an initial calibration rules check of said prototype engine calibration parameter set against one of said rules check database and a local rules check database resident within said calibration development computer; and

(k) storing said prototype engine calibration parameter set in said calibration development computer as said first engine calibration parameter set if said prototype engine calibration parameter set passes said initial calibration rules check.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the steps of:

(l) executing steps (m)-(n) if said prototype engine calibration parameter set fails said initial calibration rules check;

(m) modifying in said calibration development computer any one or more parameters of said prototype engine calibration parameter set identified as having failed said initial calibration rules check to form a modified prototype engine calibration parameter set;

(n) conducting another calibration rules check of said modified prototype engine calibration parameter set against one of said rules check database and said local rules check database resident within said calibration development computer; and

(o) storing said modified prototype engine calibration parameter set in said calibration development computer as said first engine calibration parameter set if said modified prototype engine calibration parameter set passes said another calibration rules check.

18. The method of claim 1 further including the step of executing steps (c) and (d) following execution of steps (a) and (b) only if said calibration development computer is in communication with said host computer, and otherwise conducting in said calibration development computer said first calibration rules check of said one of said second engine calibration parameter set and said at least one modified parameter against a local rules check database resident therein.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of updating said local rules check database in said calibration development computer with said rules check database in said host computer upon establishing communications between said calibration development computer and said host computer.

20. A system for developing a calibration parameter set for an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:

a host computer including a first rules check database resident therein; and

a calibration development computer configured to modify at least one parameter of a first engine calibration parameter set to form a second engine calibration parameter set, said calibration development computer configured to thereafter provide one of said second engine calibration data set and said at least one modified parameter of said first engine calibration parameter set to said host computer, said host computer configured to conduct a calibration rules check of said one of said second engine calibration data set and said at least one modified parameter of said first engine calibration parameter set against said first rules check database.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said calibration development computer includes a second rules check database resident therein, said calibration development computer configured to provide said one of said second engine calibration data set to said host computer to conduct said calibration rules check only if said calibration development computer is in communication with said host computer, said calibration development computer otherwise conducting said calibration rules check against said second rules check database.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said host computer is configured to update said second rules check database resident within said calibration development computer with said first rules check database resident within said host computer upon establishing communications with said calibration development computer.