Apparatus and method for controlling ignition timing of internal combustion engine

• US 7,444,985 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nemoto, Mamoru, Suzuki, Kunihiko, Miyazaki, Taizo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie; Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US11/640,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20070137618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 123/406.11, 123/406.47, 123/406.5, 123/406.51, 123/406.52, 123/406.24, 123/406.25, 123/406.26, 123/406.45, 123/406.46
• US Class Current: 123/406.5
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1409 using at least a proportional, integral or derivative controller
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1422 Variable gain or coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1504 with particular means during a transient phase, e.g. acceleration, deceleration, gear change during starting F02P5/1506
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A transient correction of an ignition timing is precisely executed even in a transient state. The ignition timing at a stationary time is computed on the basis of an operating state detected by an operating state detecting means, and the ignition timing at the stationary time is corrected by a transient time ignition timing correcting means defined by a transfer function G(s).

Claims

1. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine comprising:

an operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of the internal combustion engine;

a stationary time ignition timing computing means for computing an ignition timing at a stationary time on the basis of an operating state detected by said operating state detecting means; and

a transient time ignition timing correcting means for computing a transient time ignition timing by applying a transient correction defined by a transfer function on the basis of the operating state detected by said operating state detecting means to the stationary time ignition timing computed by said stationary time ignition timing computing means;

wherein said transfer function is defined by a function on the basis of a secondary delay system element, the transfer function on the basis of the secondary delay system element is provided with any one of a natural frequency, a damping constant and a gain constant, and said operating state detecting means is provided with a means for detecting at least one of an engine speed, a load and an operating characteristic of the intake and exhaust flow rate control means or the intake flow control means of the internal combustion engine, and has a means for determining said natural frequency, the damping constant and the gain constant on the basis of any one of the engine speed, the load and the operating characteristic of the intake and exhaust flow rate control means or the intake flow control means detected by said operating state detecting means.

2. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ignition control apparatus executes the transient correction of the ignition timing by said transient time ignition timing correcting means defined by said transfer function, at a time when a time change amount of an engine speed, a load or an operating characteristic of any one of the intake and exhaust flow rate control means and the intake flow control means of the internal combustion engine is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

3. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said natural frequency, the damping constant and the gain constant are determined on the basis of a numerical simulation apparatus simulating the internal combustion engine.

4. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transfer function is defined by a function on the basis of a primary delay system element, a transfer function on the basis of the primary delay system element is provided with any one of a time constant and a gain constant, and said operating state detecting means is provided with a means for detecting at least one of an engine speed, a load, and an operating characteristic of the intake and exhaust flow rate control means of the intake flow control means of the internal combustion engine, and has a means for determining said time constant and the gain constant on the basis of any one of the engine speed, the load, and the operating characteristic of the intake and exhaust flow rate control means or the intake flow control means detected by said operating state detecting means.

5. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said time constant and the gain constant are determined on the basis of a numerical simulation apparatus simulating said internal combustion engine.

6. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intake and exhaust flow rate control means is constituted by a variable valve train capable of optionally changing an opening characteristic of an intake or exhaust valve.

7. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intake and exhaust flow rate control means is constituted by an external exhaust gas recirculation valve provided in a passage recirculating a burned gas from an exhaust pipe to an intake pipe.

8. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intake and exhaust flow rate control means is constituted by a variable intake pipe length capable of changing a length of an intake passage.

9. An ignition timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intake flow control means is constituted by a swirl control valve or a tumble control valve capable of shielding a part or an entire of an intake passage.

10. An ignition timing control method of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:

computing an ignition timing at a stationary time on the basis of an operating state detected by an operating state detecting means detecting the operating state of the internal combustion engine; and

computing a transient time ignition timing by applying a transient correction defined by a transfer function to the ignition timing at the stationary time;

wherein said transfer function is defined by a function on the basis of a secondary delay system element, the transfer function on the basis of the secondary delay system element is provided with any one of a natural frequency, a damping constant and a gain constant, and said operating state detecting means is provided with a means for detecting at least one of an engine speed, a load and an operating characteristic of intake and exhaust flow rate control means or intake flow control means of the internal combustion engine, and has a means for determining said natural frequency, the damping constant and the gain constant on the basis of any one of the engine speed, the load and the operating characteristic of the intake and exhaust flow rate control means or the intake flow control means detected by said operating state detecting means.