Method and apparatus for modifying fuel injection scheme

• US 7,404,397 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Total Fuel Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Total Fuel Systems LLC
• Inventors: Dobeck, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARGENBRIGHT, TONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/518,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20080060598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 123/1.A, 123/575, 123/674, 123/675, 123/696, 123/672, 701/109
• US Class Current: 123/672
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/061 by controlling fuel injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0623 Failure diagnosis or prevention; Safety measures; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/066 Retrofit of secondary fuel supply systems; Conversion of engines to operate on multiple fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/084 Blends of gasoline and alcohols, e.g. E85
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/088 by estimation, i.e. without using direct measurements of a corresponding sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0612 determined by estimation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/11 After-sales modification devices designed to be used to modify an engine afterwards
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1454 the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A fuel injector control modification module is configured to modify primary fuel injector control signals provided by an engine control unit of an internal combustion engine. The module is particularly adapted to modifying fuel injector control signals based upon detected variations in fuel provided to the engine. Information indicative of fuel type is obtained by the module from an onboard diagnostic port associated with the engine control unit. The information may comprise fuel trim information which is generated, at least in part, from exhaust gas oxygen content information provided to the engine control unit. The module may modify or completely replace the primary fuel injector control signals at one or more times with secondary signal, such as to accommodate changes in fuel type. The module is particularly suited to addition to an existing engine to adapt the engine to run upon alternative fuels not contemplated by the original engine manufacturer.

Claims

1. A method of modifying the operation of one or more fuel injectors of an internal combustion engine based upon differences in fuel supplied to the engine, the engine having an engine control unit with a primary fuel injector control, at least one oxygen sensor providing exhaust gas oxygen content information to the engine control unit and an onboard diagnostic information port, comprising:

providing a fuel injector control modification module comprising a secondary fuel injector control configured to generate fuel injector control signals;

providing a communication link between said fuel injector control modification module and said onboard diagnostic information port;

providing information indirectly indicative of a fuel being provided to said engine in the form of processed exhaust gas oxygen content information received by said fuel injector control modification module from said engine control unit through said onboard diagnostic information port via said communication link; and

controlling the operation of said one or more fuel injectors at one or more times with fuel injector control signals generated by said secondary fuel injector control based upon the information indicative of the fuel being provided to said engine.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said information which is indicative of a fuel being provided to said engine comprises fuel trim information.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fuel injector control signals generated by said secondary fuel injector control modify primary fuel injector control signals generated by said engine control unit.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fuel injector control signals generated by said secondary fuel injector control replace primary fuel injector control signals generated by said engine control unit.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fuel injector control modification module comprises a processor, at least one communication port for receiving information for use by said processor, and a memory configured to store information for use by said processor.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising:

one or more fuel injectors;

an engine control unit configured to generate primary fuel injector control signals;

at least one oxygen sensor providing exhaust gas oxygen content information to the engine control unit;

an onboard diagnostic information port associated with said engine control unit;

a fuel injector control modification module linked via a communication link to said onboard diagnostic port, said fuel injector control modification module configured to generate secondary fuel injector control signals which at one or more times modify or replace said primary fuel injector control signals, said fuel injector control modification module configured to generate said secondary fuel injector control signals based at least in part upon information indicative of a fuel being provided to said engine in the form of an output received from through said onboard diagnostic information port from said engine control unit, which output is based at least in part upon processed oxygen content information provided by said at least one oxygen sensor.

7. The internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said information indicative of a fuel comprises fuel trim information.

8. The internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 7 wherein said fuel trim information comprises percentage trim data.

9. The internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said primary and secondary fuel injector control signals comprise ground signals for energizing a fuel injector for a duration of time.

10. The internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said fuel injector control modification module comprises a processor, at least one communication port and a memory.

11. A device for modifying the control of one or more fuel injectors of an internal combustion engine having an engine control unit configured to generate primary fuel injector control signals, at least one oxygen sensor providing exhaust gas oxygen content information to the engine control unit, and an onboard diagnostic information port, comprising:

a fuel injector control modification module configured to receive information indicative of variations in fuel provided to said engine in the form of a processed information output provided through said onboard diagnostic port by said engine control unit, which output is based at least partially upon said oxygen content information provided to said engine control unit, said fuel injector control modification module configured, at one or more times, to generate secondary fuel injector control signals.

12. The device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said fuel injector control modification module is configured to receive said primary fuel injector control signals and replace those primary signals with said secondary fuel injector control signals at one or more times.

13. The device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said fuel injector control modification module is configured to receive said primary fuel injector control signals and modify those signals with said secondary fuel injector control signals at one or more times.

14. The device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said fuel injector control modification module comprises a processor and a memory configured to store information for use by said processor.