EP0107523A2 — Fuel distribution control system for an internal …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 259 words

In combination with an internal combustion engine fuel control system including a fuel control computer (10) for generating fuel delivery signals in response to the operational parameters of the engine (12), means (14) for delivering fuel to the engine in response to the fuel delivery signals, and means (16) for generating amplitude signals indicative of the magnitude of the torque impulses imparted to the engine's crankshaft by the burning of the fuel in the engine's individual cylinders, a fuel distribution control for equalizing the magnitudes ot the torque impulse produced by all of the cylinders characterized by: means for correcting (18) the value of said amplitude signals in response to the rotational velocity and the rotational position of the engine's crankshaft to generate corrected amplitude signals; first means for averaging (20) said corrected amplitude signals to generate an individual average amplitude signal for each engine cylinder; means for integrating (22) all of said individual average amplitude signals to generate individual difference signals indicative of the difference between said individual average amplitude signals and the average amplitude for all the cylinders second means for averaging (26) all of said individual difference signals to generate an average difference signal; first means for subtracting (28) said average difference signal from each of said individual difference signals to generate a fuel correction signal for each cylinder; and means for summing (30) said fuel correction signals to said fuel delivery signals to generate a corrected fuel delivery signal tending to equalize the contribution of each cylinder to the total torque output of the engine.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 259 words

In combination with an internal combustion engine fuel control system including a fuel control computer (10) for generating fuel delivery signals in response to the operational parameters of the engine (12), means (14) for delivering fuel to the engine in response to the fuel delivery signals, and means (16) for generating amplitude signals indicative of the magnitude of the torque impulses imparted to the engine's crankshaft by the burning of the fuel in the engine's individual cylinders, a fuel distribution control for equalizing the magnitudes ot the torque impulse produced by all of the cylinders characterized by: means for correcting (18) the value of said amplitude signals in response to the rotational velocity and the rotational position of the engine's crankshaft to generate corrected amplitude signals; first means for averaging (20) said corrected amplitude signals to generate an individual average amplitude signal for each engine cylinder; means for integrating (22) all of said individual average amplitude signals to generate individual difference signals indicative of the difference between said individual average amplitude signals and the average amplitude for all the cylinders second means for averaging (26) all of said individual difference signals to generate an average difference signal; first means for subtracting (28) said average difference signal from each of said individual difference signals to generate a fuel correction signal for each cylinder; and means for summing (30) said fuel correction signals to said fuel delivery signals to generate a corrected fuel delivery signal tending to equalize the contribution of each cylinder to the total torque output of the engine.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 146 words

The fuel distribution control of Claim 1 wherein said first means for averaging (20) comprises: decoder means (34, 58) for generating a repetitive set of sequential signals in response to the rotational position of the engine's crankshaft, each signal in said set of signals being indicative of a predetermined operational stdte of an associated engine cylinder; a plurality of averaging circuits (70, 72, 74, 76), one associated with each engine cylinder and individually activated one at a time in response to said set of sequential signals, each averaging circuit averaging said corrected amplitude signals of its associated cylinder to generate said average amplitude signal for its associated engine cylinder; and switch means (78) connected to the outputs of said plurality of averaging circuits for outputting said average amplitude signals one at a time in a predetermined sequence in response to said repetitive set of sequential signals.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

The fuel distribution control of Claim 2 wherein said decoder means (34, 58) comprises: a cylinder counter (34) responsive to the rotational position of the engine for generating a set of digital numbers, each number corresponding to the cylinder producing the torque impulse; and a decoder (58) responsive to said digital numbers for generating said repetitive set of sequential signals.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 97 words

The fuel distribution control of Claims 1 or 2 wherein said means for integrating (22) comprises: third means for averaging (80) said average amplitude signals to generate an average of the amplitude signals from all of the cylinders; and second means for subtracting (82) the average of the amplitude signals from all of the cylinders from the individual cylinder average amplitude signals received said first means for averaging (20) to generate first difference signals indicative of the difference between the individual cylinder average amplitude signals and the average of the amplitude signals from all of the cylinders;

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The fuel distributor control of Claim 4 wherein said means for integrating (22) further includes amplifier means (24) for amplifying said first difference signals to generate amplified first difference signals.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 171 words

The fuel distribution control of Claims 1 or 2 wherein said means for correcting (18) the value of said amplitude comprises: means (34) for generating a first digital number indicative of the rotational velocity of the engine's crankshaft; means (30, 32) for generating a second digital number indicative of the cylinder currently generating a torque impulse in response to the rotational position of the engine's crankshaft; means for multiplexing (36) said first and second digital numbers to generate look-up table address corresponding to the cylinder and engine speed identified by said first and second digital numbers; look-up table means (38) for storing a plurality of amplitude correction factors for each cylinder as a function of engine speed, said look-up table means (38) responsive to said look-up up table address to output the correction factor associated with the cylinder and engine speed identified by said look-up table address; and means for combining (40, 42) said amplitude signal with the correction factor output from the look-up table to generate said corrected amplitude signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 49 words

The fuel distribution control of Claim 6 wherein means for combining (40, 42) comprise: multiplier means (40) for multiplying said amplitude signal with said correction factor to generate a correction increment; and means for adding (42) said correction increment to said amplitude signal to generate said corrected amplitude signal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 190 words

The fuel distribution control of Claim 1 wherein said means for correcting (18) the value of said amplitude signal comprises: decoder means (34, 58) for generating a repetitive set of sequential signals in response to the rotational position of the engine's crankshaft, each signal in said set of signals corresponding to a predetermined operational state of an associated engine cylinder; means (30, 32) for generating a third digital number indicative of the rotational velocity of the engine's crankshaft; a plurality of look-up tables (50, 52, 54, 56), one associated with each engine cylinder for storing a plurality of correction factors for its associated cylinder as a function of engine speed, said look-up tables (50, 52, 54, 56) simultaneously address by said third digital number and enabled in a repetitive sequential order, one at a time in response to said repetitive set of sequential signals to output the correction factor stored in the enabled look-up table and the address corresponding to said third digital number; and means for combining (40, 42, 60) said amplitude signal with the correction factor output from the enabled look-up table to generate said corrected amplitude signal.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 150 words

The fuel distribution control of Claim 2 wherein said means for correcting (18) the value of said amplitude signal comprises: means (30, 32) for generating a fourth digital number indicative of the rotational velocity of the engine's crankshaft. a plurality of look-up tables (50, 52, 54, 56), one associated with each engine cylinder, for storing a plurality of correction factors for its associated cylinder as a function of engine speed, said look-up tables (50, 52, 54, 56) simultaneously addressed by said fourth digital number and enabled in a repetitive sequential order, one at a time in response to said repetitive set of sequential signals to output the correction factor stored in the enabled look-up table and the address corresponding to said fourth digital number; and means for combining (40, 42, 60) said amplitude signals with the correction factor output from the enabled look-up table to generate said corrected amplitude signal.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 54 words

The fuel distribution control of Claims 8 or 9 wherein said means for combining (40, 42, 60) comprises: means for multiplying (40, 60) said amplitude signal with the output correction factor to generate a correction increment; and means for adding (42) said correction increment to said amplitude signal to generate said corrected amplitude signal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 74 words

The fuel distribution control of Claims 1 or 6 wherein said engine control system further includes means (16) for generating a phase angle signal indicative of the crankshaft angle measured from predetermined crankshaft positions where maximum cylinder pressure occurs, said means for correcting (18) said amplitude signals further includes means for correcting (44, 46, 48) said amplitude signals in response to the difference between the generated phase angle signal and a reference phase angle.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 74 words

The fuel distribution control of Claims 8 and 9 wherein said engine fuel control system further includes means (16) for generating a phase angle signal indicative of the crankshaft angle measured from predetermined crankshaft positions where maximum cylinder pressure occurs, said means for correcting (18) said amplitude signals further includes means for correcting (44, 46, 48) said amplitude signals in response to the difference between said generated phase angle and a reference phase angle.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 71 words

The fuel distribution control of Claim 12 wherein said included means (44, 46, 48) for correcting comprises: differential amplifier means (44, 46) for generating a phase angle error signal corresponding to the difference between the generated phase angle signal and said reference phase angle signal; and means for summing (48) said phase angle error signal with said amplitude signal to correct the value of said amplitude signals for phase angle errors.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 265 words

A method for controlling the quantity of fuel supplied to each cylinder in an internal combustion engine (12) having means for generating fuel delivery signals (10) in response to at least one operational parameter of the engine, means for delivering fuel (14) to the engine in response to the fuel delivery signals, and means for generating amplitude signals (16) indica-. tive of the magnitude of the impulses imparted to the engine's crankshaft as a result of burning the fuel in the engine's individual cylinders, said method characterized by the steps of: correcting the value (18) of said amplitude signals in response to the rotational velocity and rotational position of the engine's crankshaft to generate corrected amplitude signals for torque impulses produced by each cylinder on an individual basis; averaging said corrected amplitude signals (20) to generate an average amplitude signal for each cylinder; averaging (80) all of said average amplitude signals for each cylinder to generate an average amplitude signal for all of the cylinders; subtracting (82) the average amplitude signal for all of the cylinders from the average amplitude signal for each cylinder in a predetermined sequence to generate difference signals for each cylinder; averaging said difference signals (26) to generate an average difference signal; subtracting said average difference signal from said difference signals (28) for each cylinder to generate a fuel correction signal; and summing (30) said fuel correction signals with said fuel delivery signals to individually correct the quantity of fuel delivered to the engine's cylinders tending to equalize the contribution of each cylinder to the total torque output of the engine.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 265 words

A method for controlling the quantity of fuel supplied to each cylinder in an internal combustion engine (12) having means for generating fuel delivery signals (10) in response to at least one operational parameter of the engine, means for delivering fuel (14) to the engine in response to the fuel delivery signals, and means for generating amplitude signals (16) indica-. tive of the magnitude of the impulses imparted to the engine's crankshaft as a result of burning the fuel in the engine's individual cylinders, said method characterized by the steps of: correcting the value (18) of said amplitude signals in response to the rotational velocity and rotational position of the engine's crankshaft to generate corrected amplitude signals for torque impulses produced by each cylinder on an individual basis; averaging said corrected amplitude signals (20) to generate an average amplitude signal for each cylinder; averaging (80) all of said average amplitude signals for each cylinder to generate an average amplitude signal for all of the cylinders; subtracting (82) the average amplitude signal for all of the cylinders from the average amplitude signal for each cylinder in a predetermined sequence to generate difference signals for each cylinder; averaging said difference signals (26) to generate an average difference signal; subtracting said average difference signal from said difference signals (28) for each cylinder to generate a fuel correction signal; and summing (30) said fuel correction signals with said fuel delivery signals to individually correct the quantity of fuel delivered to the engine's cylinders tending to equalize the contribution of each cylinder to the total torque output of the engine.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 138 words

The method of Claim 14 wherein said step of correcting the value (18) of said amplitude signals comprises the steps of: storing in a look-up table (38) a plurality of correction factors for each cylinder as a function of engine speed. generating a cylinder signal (34) indicative of the cylinder that produced the torque impluse in response to the rotational position of the crankshaft; generating a speed signal (30, 32) indicative of the rotational velocity of the engine's crankshaft; multiplexing said cylinder signal with said speed signal (36) to generate a look-up table address containing the correction factor for the identified cylinder at the identified engine speed; addressing said look-up table (38) with said address to output the stored correction factor; and combining said correction factor with said amplitude signal (40, 42) to generate said corrected amplitude signal.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 155 words

The method of Claim 14 wherein said step of correcting the value (18) of said amplitude signals comprises the steps of: storing in each of a plurality of look-up tables (50, 52, 54, 56), one associated with each cylinder, a plurality of correction factors for the associated cylinder as a function of engine speed; generating a speed signal (30, 32) indicative of the engine's speed in response to a signal indicative of the rotational velocity of the engine's crankshaft; generating a cylinder signal (34, 58) indicative of the cylinder that produced the torque impulse in response to the rotational position of the engine's crankshaft enabling said look-up tables (50, 52, 54, 56) with said cylinder signals one at a time to output the correction factor addressed by said speed signal; and combining said correction factors (40, 42, 60) output from said plurality of look-up tables with said amplitude signals to generate said corrected amplitude signals.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 50 words

The method of Claims 15 or 16 wherein said step of combininq (40, 42, 46) comprises the steps of: multiplying said amplitude signals (60, 40) by said correction factor to generate an incremental correction; and adding (42) said incremental correction to said amplitude signal to generate said corrected amplitude signal.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 87 words

The method of Claims 15 or 16 wherein said means for generating amplitude signals (16) further includes means for generating a phase angle signal having a value indicative of the crankshaft angle relative to fixed angular positions where maximum cylinder pressure occurs, said step of correcting the value (18) of the amplitude signals further includes the step of first correcting (44, 46, 48) the value of the amplitude signal as a function of the difference between the generated phase angle signal and a reference phase angle signal.

Fuel distribution control system for an internal combustion engine

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