Engine fueling control during cylinder valve mode transitions

• US 7,565,899 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Michelini, John Ottavio, Kolmanovsky, Ilya V., Song, Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie; Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US11/761,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20080308069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 123/481, 123/198.F, 123/432, 123/308, 123/321, 123/325, 123/492, 123/493, 123/348, 123/90.15, 123/90.11, 123/90.12, 123/90.14
• US Class Current: 123/481
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0226 changing valve lift or valve lift and timing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0257 Independent control of two or more intake or exhaust valves respectively, i.e. one of two intake valves remains closed or is opened partially while the other is fully opened
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/0012 with selective deactivation of cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/21 during a transition between engine operation modes or states
• 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: F02D 41/34 with means for controlling injection timing or duration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method of control fueling of a cylinder in an internal combustion engine, the cylinder having at least two intake valves, the method comprising of operating in a first mode with one active intake valve and one inactive intake valve during a cycle of the cylinder operating in a second mode with two active intake valves during a cycle of the cylinder and adjusting a fuel injection from an injector configured to deliver fuel through at least the two intake valves, where the fuel injection adjustment is responsive to a transition in modes and based on whether the transition is from the first mode to the second mode, or from the second mode to the first mode.

Claims

1. A method of control fueling of a cylinder in an internal combustion engine, the cylinder having at least two intake valves, the method comprising:

operating in a first mode with one active intake valve and one inactive intake valve during a cycle of the cylinder;

operating in a second mode with two active intake valves during a cycle of the cylinder; and

adjusting a fuel injection from an injector configured to deliver fuel through at least the two intake valves, where the fuel injection adjustment is responsive to a transition in modes and based on whether the transition is from the first mode to the second mode, or from the second mode to the first mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in the first mode, the cylinder alternates the one active valve among the two intake valves.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fuel injection adjustment is further based on a number of cylinder cycles from the transition.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the fuel adjustment differs based on whether the transition is from the first mode to the second mode, or from the second mode to the first mode in that the fueling adjustment oscillates to a greater extent when transitioning to the first mode.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the fueling is adjusted in a first cycle of the transition differently than subsequent cycles after the transition.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first mode includes valve levitation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the two intake valves are electrically actuated intake valves.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each cylinder of the engine is transitioned between the modes in a single engine cycle.

9. A method of control fueling of cylinders in an internal combustion engine, the cylinders each having at least two intake valves, the method comprising:

operating cylinders in a first mode with one active intake valve and one inactive intake valve during a cylinder cycle, where the active valve alternates among the two intake valves;

operating cylinders in a second mode with two active intake valves during a cylinder cycle;

transitioning between the modes, where one cylinder transitions valve modes during each engine cycle until all cylinders transition valve mode, where when transitioning from the second mode to the first mode, increasing torque in remaining cylinders not transitioning, while decreasing air via valve timing in the cylinder undergoing transition to match available fuel, and when transitioning from the first mode to the second mode, decreasing torque in remaining cylinders not transitioning, while increasing air via valve timing in the cylinder undergoing transition to match available fuel; and

adjusting fuel injection during the transition.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising adjusting a fuel injection from an injector configured to deliver fuel through at least the two intake valves, where the fuel injection adjustment is responsive to a transition in valve modes and based on whether the transition is from the first mode to the second mode, or from the second mode to the first mode.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the fuel injection adjustment is further based on a number of cylinder cycles from the transition.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the fuel adjustment differs based on whether the transition is from the first mode to the second mode, or from the second mode to the first mode in that the fueling adjustment oscillates to a greater extent when transitioning to the first mode.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the fueling is adjusted in a first cycle of the transition differently than subsequent cycles after the transition.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first mode includes valve levitation.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the two intake valves are electrically actuated intake valves.

16. A system for an engine having a plurality of cylinders, comprising:

a cylinder with first and second intake ports, the cylinder further having a first electrically actuated intake valve coupling the first port to the cylinder and a second electrically actuated intake valve coupling the second port to the cylinder;

a fuel injector coupled to the cylinder, the injector positioned relative to the first and second port to inject at least some fuel in at least the first and second port during fuel injection;

a control system for operating in a first mode with one active intake valve and one inactive intake valve during a cycle of the cylinder, where the active intake valve alternates among the first and second electrically actuated intake valve, which is active at least during a portion of an intake stroke of the cylinder, operating in a second mode with both the first and second electrically actuated intake valves active during a cycle of the cylinder, and adjusting a fuel injection from the injector, where the fuel injection adjustment is responsive to a transition in modes and based on whether the transition is from the first mode to the second mode, or from the second mode to the first mode.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the injector is symmetrically positioned relative to the first and second port.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the injector is asymmetrically positioned relative to the first and second port.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the controller further adjusts valve timing during the transition.