Laser ignition system based diagnostics

• US 9,212,970 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2013
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Martin, Douglas Raymond, Miller, Kenneth James
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Isaac
• Application Number:
  US13/865,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/103, 701/31.6, 123/143.B, 123/179.3, 123/90.15, 123/143.R, 362/553, 703/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 23/04 Other physical ignition means, e.g. using laser rays
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/042 by monitoring a single specific parameter not covered by groups G01M15/06 - G01M15/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 Combustion engine

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for enabling engine diagnostics, including visual inspections of an engine cylinder, using existing hardware from a laser ignition system. Light pulses from a laser ignition device are received at a photodetector during non-combusting conditions and used to generate images of an inside of the cylinder that can be assessed by a service technician. An electric motor of the vehicle system can be used during a service mode of the vehicle to rotate the engine to, and hold the engine at, specified engine positions that enable the technician to perform selected diagnostic tests.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle engine, comprising:

during non-combusting conditions,

operating a laser ignition device of a cylinder;

displaying images of an inside of the cylinder, including one or more of images of cylinder walls and cylinder intake and exhaust valves, captured by a photodetector coupled to the cylinder, on a center-console of the vehicle; and

indicating cylinder degradation based on operator input received upon display of the images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the laser ignition device includes operating the laser ignition device to direct laser pulses into the cylinder.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the photodetector is also coupled to the laser ignition device, and wherein the photodetector includes an infrared camera with a fish-eye lens for generating the images of the inside of the cylinder, the images transmitted wirelessly to an engine controller for display on the center-console of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operator input is received via a button on the center-console.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising activating a knob of the vehicle center-console for engine position control;

and adjusting an engine position based on operator adjustments to the knob, the adjusting including turning the engine forwards or backwards from an initial engine position.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising while turning the engine backwards from the initial engine position, opening an intake throttle to reduce intake manifold expansion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating cylinder degradation includes setting a diagnostic code.

8. A method for an engine cylinder, comprising:

during a first combusting condition, operating a laser ignition device to ignite an air-fuel mixture in the cylinder;

during a second non-combusting condition, operating the laser ignition device to generate an image of walls and valves in an interior of the cylinder, the image displayed on a vehicle center-console to an operator for diagnosing the interior of the cylinder; and

during each of the first and second condition, operating a photodetector coupled to the cylinder.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein during the first condition, the laser ignition device is operated at a higher power level, and wherein during the second condition, the laser ignition device is operated at a lower power level.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein operating the photodetector coupled to the cylinder includes operating the photo-detector in an infra-red spectrum to detect laser pulses from the laser ignition device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, during the second condition, transmitting an output of the photodetector to an engine controller to display the output of the photodetector to the vehicle operator on the vehicle center-console, wherein the output includes an image of the interior of the cylinder.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the engine is coupled to a hybrid electric vehicle, the method further comprising, during the second condition, actively changing an engine position based on adjustments to an operator-controlled knob, the actively changing performed via an electric motor-generator of the hybrid electric vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, during the second condition, adjusting a position of an intake throttle based on the actively changing the engine position, the throttle opened when the engine is rotated backwards from an initial position.

14. A hybrid vehicle system comprising:

an engine including a cylinder, the cylinder including a piston;

an electric motor-generator;

a laser ignition system coupled to a cylinder head;

a photodetection system coupled to the cylinder head including a camera and a light-converging lens;

a display on a center-console of a vehicle; and

a controller with computer readable instructions for;

during non-combusting conditions,

operating the laser ignition system to direct laser pulses to an interior of the cylinder;

capturing images of the interior of the cylinder at the camera using light from the laser pulses, the captured images including images of cylinder walls and cylinder intake and exhaust valves;

transmitting the captured images to the display; and

indicating degradation of cylinder components based on operator input received on the center-console.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein operating the laser ignition system includes operating the laser ignition system at a lower power level than a power level used during combusting conditions.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the camera is an infra-red CCD camera and wherein the light-converging lens is a fish-eye lens.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein indicating degradation of cylinder components includes setting a diagnostic code to indicate degradation of cylinder walls and/or valves.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising an operator-controlled knob on the center-console that is coupled to the engine via the electric motor-generator during the non-combusting conditions, wherein the controller includes further instructions for adjusting a position of the piston within the cylinder based on adjustments to a position of the knob by a vehicle operator, the adjustments to the position of the knob based on the captured images transmitted to the display.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein transmitting the images to the display includes transmitting the images wirelessly within the hybrid vehicle system.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the engine includes an air intake throttle, and wherein adjusting a position of the piston includes rotating the engine backwards from an initial position, the controller including further instructions for:

increasing an opening of the air intake throttle while rotating the engine backwards.