ENGINE CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20030136379A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Moric
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Moric
• Inventors: Isoda, Naoya, Nagatsu, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,742,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/406.24
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/025 two
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0284 Variable control of exhaust valves only
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0404 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1012 Engine speed gradient
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1015 Engines misfires
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/04 Two-stroke combustion engines with electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/06 Small engines with electronic control, e.g. for hand held tools
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/027 using knock sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0097 using means for generating speed signals
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/045 Detection of accelerating or decelerating state detection thereof in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1498 measuring engine roughness
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1502 using one central computing unit
• 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: F02P 9/005 by weakening or suppression of sparks to limit the engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure

An improved method and system for the control of an engine system such as the spark timing. The control senses the speed variations either during a portion of a complete cycle and a complete cycle and/or from cycle to cycle in order to determine the load on the engine from preprogrammed maps based upon the engine characteristics. From this load and the speed reading, it is possible to obtain the desired engine control. In addition the timing is set in this method only under certain specified conditions and only in response to certain specific parameters. This not only reduces the costs of the system by reducing the number of sensors, but also permits adjustments to be made more rapidly.

Claims

1. An nternal combustion engine system control for controlling a system of the engine wherein the engine has a driven shaft, a sensor arrangement associated with said driven shaft for sensing the instantaneous rotational speed of said driven shaft during the rotation of said driven shaft for less than a complete rotation and for sensing the rotational speed of said driven shaft for a complete revolution thereof including the measured less than complete rotation during a first rotation of said driven shaft and for sensing same two rotational speeds of said driven shaft during the immediately succeeding rotation of said driven shaft, a control for determining the ratios between the partial and complete revolutions measured for each of the two revolutions and the difference between them, adjusts the control of said engine system in response to the difference only if the difference is other than a predetermined amount and if at least one other certain parameter is met.

2. An internal combustion engine system control as set forth in claim 1 wherein the other certain parameter is that the adjustment is made only in whole integers to minimize the necessary memory.

3. An internal combustion engine system control as set forth in claim 2 wherein the spark timing is controlled and the timing change is made in only a whole number of degrees.

4. An internal combustion engine system control as set forth in claim 1 wherein the other certain parameter is that the calculation is only made within a predetermined range of the total expected variation range to avoid excessive calculations.

5. An internal combustion engine system control as set forth in claim 4 wherein the range is within 0.625% of the total variation range.

6. An internal combustion engine system control as set forth in claim 1 wherein the engine powers a vehicle and the other certain parameter is that the calculation is only made within a predetermined range of engine loadings to avoid excessive calculations.

7. An internal combustion engine system control as set forth in claim 7 wherein the required change of engine loading is approximately 7N·

m (Newton-meters).