Engine position tracking for internal combustion engines

• US 8,371,157 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BG Soflex LLC
• Original Assignee: BG Soflex LLC
• Inventors: Bowling, Bruce, Grippo, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/824,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20100263439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 731/140.2, 731/140.3, 731/140.4, 731/142.6, 731/142.7, 731/142.8
• US Class Current: 73/114.26
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/009 using means for generating position or synchronisation signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/06 by monitoring positions of pistons or cranks

Abstract

A method for determining engine crankshaft position determines the position of a rotating crankshaft using one or many crankshaft position sensors. The sensor output signals representing crankshaft position are digitized and specific timing positions are derived. The sampled timing positions are compared to a known position template to determine crankshaft position.

Claims

1. A method of determining an instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle position, the method comprising:

inputting from an external source crankshaft timing wheel configuration data comprising tooth pattern angles;

measuring tooth time inputs of an engine-mounted timing wheel;

scaling the tooth time inputs into angles in an angle domain;

cross-correlating the angles with stored tooth pattern angles; and

determining the instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle position as a result of a match between the angles and the stored tooth pattern angles.

2. A method of determining an instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle position, the method comprising:

measuring tooth time inputs of an engine-mounted timing wheel;

scaling the tooth time inputs into angles in an angle domain;

cross-correlating the angles with stored tooth pattern angles; and

determining the instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle as a result of thresholding mean square errors between the angles and the stored tooth pattern angles.

3. A computer readable medium having stored therein a program for making a computer execute a method of determining an instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle position, said program including computer executable instructions for performing the method comprising:

inputting from an external source crankshaft timing wheel configuration data comprising tooth pattern angles;

measuring tooth time inputs of an engine-mounted timing wheel;

scaling the tooth time inputs into angles in an angle domain;

cross-correlating the angles with stored tooth pattern angles; and

determining the instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle position as a result of a match between the angles and the stored tooth pattern angles.

4. A computer readable medium having stored therein a program for making a computer execute a method of determining an instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle position, said program including computer executable instructions for performing the method comprising:

measuring tooth time inputs of an engine-mounted timing wheel;

scaling the tooth time inputs into angles in an angle domain;

cross-correlating the angles with stored tooth pattern angles; and

determining the instantaneous absolute engine crankshaft angle as a result of thresholding mean square errors between the angles and the stored tooth pattern angles.