Apparatus and method for detecting failure of exhaust gas sensor

• US 6,920,751 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kitagawa, Hiroshi, Yasui, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Diem
• Application Number:
  US10/437,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 602/74, 602/76, 602/77, 73/233.1, 73/233.2, 731/181, 204/401
• US Class Current: 60/277
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1432 the system including a filter, e.g. a low pass or high pass filter
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/288 for performing a transformation into the frequency domain, e.g. Fourier transformation
• 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 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1441 Plural sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1456 with sensor output signal being linear or quasi-linear with the concentration of oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1479 Using a comparator with variable reference
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1495 Detection of abnormalities in the air/fuel ratio feedback system
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4175 Calibrating or checking the analyser

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a failure of an exhaust gas sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst converter in an exhaust manifold is provided. The apparatus comprises a control unit. The control unit determines a ratio between an amplitude value of a first output of the exhaust gas sensor and an amplitude value of a second output of an air-fuel ratio sensor. The air fuel ratio sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst converter. The control unit detects a failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the ratio. In one embodiment, a statistical process using a successive least squares method is applied to the ratio. The control unit detects a failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the statistically processed ratio. In another embodiment, the statistical process is applied to both the output of the exhaust gas sensor and the output of the air-fuel ratio sensor. The control unit detects a failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on a ratio between the statistically processed outputs of the exhaust gas sensor and the air-fuel ratio sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a failure of an exhaust gas sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst converter in an exhaust manifold of an engine, the apparatus comprising a control unit configured to:

select from outputs of the exhaust gas sensor a first output having a local maximum amplitude value;

select from outputs of an air-fuel sensor a second output having a local maximum amplitude value, the air fuel ratio sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst converter;

determine a ratio between the local maximum amplitude value of the first output and the local maximum amplitude value of the second output; and

detect the failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the ratio.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the local maximum amplitude value of the first output is greater than a predetermined value;

and

the local maximum amplitude value of the second output is greater than a predetermined value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to apply a statistical process to the ratio using a successive least squares method,

wherein the failure of the exhaust gas sensor is detected based on the statistically processed ratio.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to apply a statistical process to both the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor using a successive least squares method,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the statistically processed first output and the statistically processed second output.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor are acquired when a vehicle on which the engine is mounted is at cruise.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor are acquired when the engine is in a predetermined operating state.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter for filtering the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the filtered first output and the filtered second output.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the filter comprises a band-pass filter.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the filter has characteristics of passing frequency components that are influenced by deterioration of the exhaust gas sensor, and that are different from frequency components influenced by deterioration of the catalyst converter.

10. An apparatus for detecting a failure of an exhaust gas sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst converter in an exhaust manifold of an engine, the apparatus comprising a control unit configured to:

determine a ratio between an amplitude value of a first output of the exhaust gas sensor and an amplitude value of a second output of an air-fuel ratio sensor, the air-fuel ratio sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst converter; and

detect the failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the ratio, wherein the control unit is further configured to

sample outputs of the exhaust gas sensor;

identify from the samples obtained from the exhaust gas sensor a first sample having a local maximum amplitude value;

select samples in the vicinity of the first sample;

sample outputs of the air-fuel ratio sensor;

identify from the samples obtained from the air-fuel sensor a second sample having a local maximum amplitude value;

select samples in the vicinity of the second sample; and

determine the ratio based on a first set of samples and a second set of samples, the first set of samples including the first sample and the selected samples in the vicinity of the first sample, the second set of samples including the second sample and the selected samples in the vicinity of the second sample.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the local maximum amplitude value of the first output is greater than a predetermined value and the local maximum amplitude value of the second output is greater than a predetermined value.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to apply a statistical process to the ratio using a successive least squares method,

wherein the failure of the exhaust gas sensor is detected based on the statistically processed ratio.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to apply a statistical process to both the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor using a successive least squares method,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the statistically processed first output and the statistically processed second output.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor are acquired when a vehicle on which the engine is mounted is at cruise.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor are acquired when the engine is in a predetermined operating state.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a filter for filtering the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the filtered first output and the filtered second output.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the filter comprises a band-pass filter.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the filter has characteristics of passing frequency components that are influenced by deterioration of the exhaust gas sensor, and that are different from frequency components influenced by deterioration of the catalyst converter.

19. A method for detecting a failure of an exhaust gas sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst converter in an exhaust manifold of an engine, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting from outputs of the exhaust gas sensor a first output having a local maximum amplitude value;

selecting from outputs of an air-fuel sensor a second output having a local maximum amplitude value, the air fuel ratio sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst converter;

determining a ratio between the local maximum amplitude value of the first output and the local maximum amplitude value of the second output; and

detecting the failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the ratio.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

the local maximum amplitude value of the first output is greater than a predetermined value;

and

the local maximum amplitude value of the second output is greater than a predetermined value.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of applying a statistical process to the ratio using a successive least squares method,

wherein the failure of the exhaust gas sensor is detected based on the statistically processed ratio.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of applying a statistical process to both the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor using a successive least squares method,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the statistically processed first output and the statistically processed second output.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of acquiring the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor when a vehicle on which the engine is mounted is at cruise.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of acquiring the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor when the engine is in a predetermined operating state.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of filtering the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the filtered first output and the filtered second output.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the filter comprises a band-pass filter.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the filter has characteristics of passing frequency components that are influenced by deterioration of the exhaust gas sensor, and that are different from frequency components influenced by deterioration of the catalyst converter.

28. A method for detecting a failure of an exhaust gas sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst converter in an exhaust manifold of an engine, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a ratio between an amplitude value of a first output of the exhaust gas sensor and an amplitude value of a second output of an air-fuel ratio sensor, the air-fuel ratio sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst converter; and

detecting the failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the ratio,

wherein the step of determining a ratio further comprises the steps of

sampling outputs of the exhaust gas sensor;

identifying from the samples obtained from the exhaust gas sensor a first sample having a local maximum amplitude value;

selecting samples in the vicinity of the first sample;

sampling outputs of the air-fuel ratio sensor;

identifying from the samples obtained from the air-fuel sensor a second sample having a local maximum amplitude value; and

selecting samples in the vicinity of the second sample; and

determining the ratio based on a first set of samples and a second set of samples, the first set of samples including the first sample and the selected samples in the vicinity of the first sample, the second set of samples including the second sample and the selected samples in the vicinity of the second sample.

29. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium for use in detecting a failure of an exhaust gas sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst converter in an exhaust manifold of an engine, the computer program comprising:

program code for selecting from outputs of the exhaust gas sensor a first output having a local maximum amplitude value;

program code for selecting from outputs of an air-fuel sensor a second output having a local maximum amplitude value, the air fuel ratio sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst converter;

program code for determining a ratio between the local maximum amplitude value of the first output and the local maximum amplitude value of the second output; and

program code for detecting the failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the ratio.

30. The computer program of claim 29, wherein

the local maximum amplitude value of the first output is greater than a predetermined value;

and

the local maximum amplitude value of the second output is greater than a predetermined value.

31. The computer program of claim 29, further comprising program code for applying a statistical process to the ratio using a successive least squares method,

wherein the failure of the exhaust gas sensor is detected based on the statistically processed ratio.

32. The computer program of claim 29, further comprising program code for applying a statistical process to both the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor using a successive least squares method,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the statistically processed first output and the statistically processed second output.

33. The computer program of claim 29,

wherein the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor are acquired when a vehicle on which the engine is mounted is at cruise.

34. The computer program of claim 29,

wherein the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor are acquired when the engine is in a predetermined operating state.

35. The computer program of claim 29, further comprising program code for filtering the first output of the exhaust gas sensor and the second output of the air-fuel ratio sensor,

wherein the ratio is determined as a ratio between the filtered first output and the filtered second output.

36. The computer program of claim 35, wherein the filter comprises a band-pass filter.

37. The computer program of claim 35, wherein the filter has characteristics of passing frequency components that are influenced by deterioration of the exhaust gas sensor, and that are different from frequency components influenced by deterioration of the catalyst converter.

38. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium for use in detecting a failure of an exhaust gas sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst converter in an exhaust manifold of an engine, the computer program comprising:

program code for determining a ratio between an amplitude value of a first output of the exhaust gas sensor and an amplitude value of a second output of an air-fuel ratio sensor, the air-fuel ratio sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst converter; and

program code for detecting the failure of the exhaust gas sensor based on the ratio,

wherein program code for determining a ratio further includes

program code for sampling outputs of the exhaust gas sensor;

program code for identifying from the samples obtained from the exhaust gas sensor a first sample having a local maximum amplitude value;

program code for selecting samples in the vicinity of the first sample;

program code for sampling outputs of the air-fuel ratio sensor;

program code for identifying from the samples obtained from the air-fuel sensor a second sample having a local maximum amplitude value;

program code for selecting samples in the vicinity of the second sample; and

program code for determining the ratio based on a first set of samples and a second set of samples, the first set of samples including the first sample and the selected samples in the vicinity of the first sample, the second set of samples including the second sample and the selected samples in the vicinity of the second sample.