Method and system for providing fuel injection time scheduling for internal combustion engines using engine speed prediction

• US 6,848,427 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Smith, Stephen B., Kerns, James Michael, Song, Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US10/350,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20040144369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 123/436, 123/478, 123/480, 123/486, 123491-493, 701101-105, 701/110, 701/111, 701/113
• US Class Current: 123/486
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0614 Actual fuel mass or fuel injection amount
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0097 using means for generating speed signals
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/04 Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions F02D41/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/107 and deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2409 Addressing techniques specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/345 Controlling injection timing F02D41/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A system and process for determining fuel injection time scheduling in an internal combustion engine. The system and method uses a prediction of engine speed to compensate for the errors due to rapid speed change in fuel injection during crank/start and engine speed transition like engine tip-in and tip-out.

Claims

1. A method for determining fuel injection lime scheduling in an internal combustion engine, comprising:

measuring engine speed; and

calculating a time for fuel injection into the engine using a prediction of engine speed at the time of such fuel injection, such prediction of engine speed being the measured engine speed plus a projected change in engine speed, such projected change in engine speed being a function of cylinder event firing number and the measured engine speed.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the prediction of engine speed is based on a measure of engine speed, said basis being in the form of a polynomial.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the prediction of engine speed is determined from a look-up table.

4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the predicted engine speed is used to determine fuel per injection, the method further including:

determining fuel pulse width, in time, as a function of the determined fuel per injection; and

converting the determined fuel pulse width, in time, to fuel pulse width, in crank degrees, such conversion being determined as a function of the predicted engine speed.

5. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the prediction of engine speed is based on a measure of engine speed, said basis being in the form of a polynomial.

6. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the prediction of engine speed is determined from a look-up table.

7. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the prediction of engine speed is performed during engine startup.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the prediction of engine speed is based on a measure of the current engine speed and the number of events since the start of engine cranking.

9. A system for determining fuel injection time scheduling in an internal combustion engine, such system comprising:

a fuel injector;

a processor for calculating a time of fuel injection for the fuel injector to inject such, fuel into engine using a prediction of engine speed at the time of such fuel injection such prediction of engine speed being measured engine speed plus a projected change in such measured engine speed, such projected change in engine speed being a function of cylinder event firing number and the measured engine speed.

10. The system recited in claim 9 wherein the precessor predicts engine speed from is based on a measure of engine speed, said basis being in the form of a polynomial.

11. The system recited in claim 9 wherein the prediction of engine speed is determined from a look-up table.

12. The system recited in claim 9 wherein the prediction of engine speed is performed during engine startup.

13. The system recited in claim 12 wherein the prediction of engine speed is based on a measure of the current engine speed and the number of events since the start of engine cranking.

14. The system recited in claim 9 wherein the processor uses the predicated engine speed to:

determine fuel per injection;

determine fuel pulse with in time as a function of the determined fuel per injection; and

convert the determined fuel per injection in time to fuel per injection as a function of engine rotation angle, such conversion being determined as a function of the predicted engine speed.

15. A method for determining fuel injection quantity and injection timing for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

calculating the fuel injection quantity and the time for fuel injection into the engine using a prediction of engine speed at the time of such fuel injection, such prediction of engine speed being measured engine speed plus a projected change in such measured engine speed, such projected change in engine speed being a function of cylinder event firing number and the measured engine speed.

16. The method recited in claim 15 wherein the predicated engine speed is used to determine fuel per injection and wherein the method includes:

determining fuel pulse with in time as a function of the determined fuel per injection; and

converting the determined fuel per injection in time to fuel per injection as a function of engine rotation angle, such conversion being determined as a function of the predicted engine speed.