Air per cylinder determination systems and methods

• US 9,534,550 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Matthews, Gregory P., Liu, Zhiping Steven, Brennan, Daniel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): KIRBY, BRIAN R
• Application Number:
  US13/798,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20140069375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 701/110, 701/112, 123/325, 123/332, 123/90.15, 123/399, 123/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2041/1412 using a predictive controller
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0402 the parameter being determined by using a model of the engine intake or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1004 Estimation of the output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/02 on interior conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0007 for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines control of the pumps per se F02B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/18 by measuring intake air flow
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/045 combined with electronic control of other engine functions, e.g. fuel injection in general F02D37/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1512 with particular means concerning an individual cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A cylinder control system of a vehicle includes a cylinder control module and an air per cylinder (APC) prediction module. The cylinder control module determines a desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The cylinder control module also activates and deactivates valves of cylinders of an engine based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence. The APC prediction module predicts an amount of air that will be trapped within a next activated cylinder in a firing order of the cylinders based on a cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order. Q is an integer greater than one.

Claims

1. A cylinder control system of a vehicle, comprising:

a cylinder control module that determines a desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence and that activates and deactivates valves of cylinders of an engine based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence; and

an air per cylinder (APC) prediction module that predicts an amount of air that will be trapped within a next activated cylinder in a firing order of the cylinders based on (i) a cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order, (ii) an intake port pressure, (iii) a second amount of air per cylinder determined based on a mass air flowrate (MAF) into the engine, (iv) a throttle opening, (v) a corrected amount APC, and (vi) a location of the next activated cylinder in the firing order of the cylinders,

where Q is an integer greater than one;

an error module that determines an APC error based on a measured amount of air trapped within the present activated cylinder in the firing order and a previous value of the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder;

an APC correction module that determines the corrected APC based on the APC error and the previous value of the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder; and

a spark control module that sets a spark timing for the next activated cylinder based on the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder; and

a spark actuator module that energizes a spark plug in the next activated cylinder based on the spark timing.

2. The cylinder control system of claim 1 further comprising a second APC prediction module that predicts a second amount of air that will be trapped within a second activated cylinder based on the cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order,

wherein the second activated cylinder follows the next activated cylinder in the firing order.

3. The cylinder control system of claim 2 wherein the second APC prediction module predicts the second amount of air that will be trapped within the second activated cylinder further based on a location of the second activated cylinder in the firing order.

4. The cylinder control system of claim 2 wherein the second APC prediction module predicts the second amount of air that will be trapped within the second activated cylinder further based on the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder.

5. The cylinder control system of claim 2 further comprising a fuel control module that controls fueling to the second activated cylinder based on the second amount of air that will be trapped within the second activated cylinder.

6. The cylinder control system of claim 1 further comprising:

a torque estimation module that determines an estimated torque output of the engine based on the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder; and

at least one of;

a boost control module that controls a boost device of the engine based on the estimated torque output;

a throttle control module that controls a throttle valve based on the estimated torque output; and

a phaser control module that controls intake and exhaust valve phasing based on the estimated torque output.

7. A cylinder control method comprising:

determining a desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence;

activating and deactivating valves of cylinders of an engine based on the desired cylinder activation/deactivation sequence; and

predicting an amount of air that will be trapped within a next activated cylinder in a firing order of the cylinders based on (i) a cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order, (ii) an intake port pressure, (iii) a second amount of air per cylinder determined based on a mass air flowrate (MAF) into the engine, (iv) a throttle opening, (v) a corrected amount of air per cylinder (APC), and (vi) a location of the next activated cylinder in the firing order of the cylinders,

where Q is an integer greater than one;

determining an APC error based on a measured amount of air trapped within the present activated cylinder in the firing order and a previous value of the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder;

determining the corrected APC based on the APC error and the previous value of the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder; and

setting a spark timing for the next activated cylinder based on the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder; and

energizing a spark plug for the next activated cylinder based on the spark timing.

8. The cylinder control method of claim 7 further comprising predicting a second amount of air that will be trapped within a second activated cylinder based on the cylinder activation/deactivation sequence of the last Q cylinders in the firing order,

wherein the second activated cylinder follows the next activated cylinder in the firing order.

9. The cylinder control method of claim 8 further comprising predicting the second amount of air that will be trapped within the second activated cylinder further based on a location of the second activated cylinder in the firing order.

10. The cylinder control method of claim 8 further comprising predicting the second amount of air that will be trapped within the second activated cylinder further based on the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder.

11. The cylinder control method of claim 8 further comprising controlling fueling to the second activated cylinder based on the second amount of air that will be trapped within the second activated cylinder.

12. The cylinder control method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining an estimated torque output of the engine based on the amount of air that will be trapped within the next activated cylinder; and

at least one of;

controlling a boost device of the engine based on the estimated torque output;

controlling a throttle valve based on the estimated torque output; and

controlling intake and exhaust valve phasing based on the estimated torque output.