Engine control to compensate for fueling dynamics

• US 7,216,640 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lewis, Donald J., Michelini, John Ottavio, Kolmanovsky, Ilya V., Song, Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): SOLIS, ERICK R
• Application Number:
  US11/535,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 123/698, 123/64, 123/673, 123/674
• US Class Current: 123/698
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 13/0005 Deactivating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2009/2136 Two opposed springs for intermediate resting position of the armature
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2800/00 Methods of operation using a variable valve timing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 9/20 by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2275/16 Indirect injection
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/02 Cutting-out cutting-out engines in multiple engine arrangements F02D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/0012 with selective deactivation of cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/047 Taking into account fuel evaporation or wall wetting; special correction after fuel cut-off F02D41/126
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A method for calculating transient fuel wall wetting characteristics of an operating engine is described. The method accounts for cylinder valve deactivation of cylinders in the engine in calculating the dynamic fueling compensation. In one example, fuel vaporization effects from fuel puddles in deactivated cylinders are considered when calculating the fueling compensation for active cylinders.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an engine having at least a first and second cylinder, said first and second cylinders having an associated first and second fuel injector, respectively, the method comprising:

operating with said first cylinder inducting air and with at least a valve of said second cylinder deactivated, and during said operation, injecting fuel to said first cylinder from said first fuel injector based on evaporated fuel from an intake port of said second cylinder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein calculations of injected fuel are further based on cylinder dynamic fuel parameters.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein calculations of injected fuel are further based on individual cylinder dynamic fuel parameters.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein evaporated fuel is determined based on manifold pressure and manifold temperature.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein evaporated fuel is further determined based on intake manifold runner volume.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said cylinder is deactivated by deactivating an electrically actuated intake valve.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said cylinder is deactivated by deactivating all intake and exhaust valves of the cylinder.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein evaporated fuel is determined based on a time since deactivating a cylinder.

9. A method for controlling an engine having at least a first and second cylinder, said first and second cylinders having an associated first and second fuel injector, respectively, the method comprising:

operating with said first cylinder inducting air and with valves of said second cylinder deactivated, and during said operation, injecting fuel to said first cylinder from said first fuel injector based on evaporated fuel from said second cylinder.

10. A method for controlling an engine having at least a cylinder, said cylinder having an associated fuel injector in an intake port coupled to the cylinder, the method comprising:

operating the cylinder in a greater than four stroke combustion cycle in a first mode, and in a four stroke combustion cycle in a second mode, with an amount of fuel injected into the cylinder calculated using a transient fueling dynamic compensation based on whether said cylinder is operating in said first or second operating mode.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said a greater than four stroke combustion cycle includes a 12 stroke combustion cycle.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said a greater than four stroke combustion cycle includes a 6 stroke combustion cycle.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said transient fueling dynamic compensation is calculated on an individual cylinder basis.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the engine enables said greater than four stroke combustion cycle via an electronically actuated intake valve.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:

a sensor for measuring an exhaust gas oxygen amount; and

a computer storage medium having a computer program encoded therein for controlling fuel injection in an internal combustion engine having fuel injectors coupled in intake ports thereof, said computer storage medium comprising;

code for operating the engine in at least two modes including an active mode where the intake valves are operating and injected fuel and air are combusted in a cylinder of the engine, and a deactivated mode where valves of the cylinder are deactivated; and

code for adjusting a fuel injection amount to the cylinder based on said sensor and an estimate of vapor migration from the deactivated cylinder.

16. An article of manufacture comprising:

a sensor for measuring an exhaust gas oxygen amount; and

a computer storage medium having a computer program encoded therein for controlling fuel injection in all internal combustion engine having fuel injectors coupled in intake ports thereof, said computer storage medium comprising;

code for providing impulse fuel injections into a cylinder of the engine to adaptively identify transient fuel parameters and a time constant parameter of the sensor.

17. An article of manufacture comprising:

a sensor for measuring an exhaust gas oxygen amount; and

a computer storage medium having a computer program encoded therein for controlling fuel injection in an internal combustion engine having fuel injectors coupled in intake ports thereof, said computer storage medium comprising;

code for tracking individual cylinder fuel vapor amounts and fuel puddle amounts at each fuel injection event; and

code for adjusting fuel injection to respective cylinders based on said tracked individual cylinder fuel vapor amounts and fuel puddle amounts.