US4777920A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for controlling ignition timing in an internal combustion engine and method therefor
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1987-01-23
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Granted: 1988-10-18
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Expires: 2007-01-23
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for controlling ignition timing of an internal combustion engine controls the ignition timing in accordance with the measured intensity of knocking when such occurs. The system corrects the ignition timing by a retardation amount related to the intensity of knocking. The system monitors engine vibration over a period in which knocking cannot occur and over the period after TDC in which knocking may occur and compares the vibration intensity levels to produce a statistical measure of knocking intensity. If the measured intensity reflects a high probability of severe knocking, ignition is retarded immediation to an extent related to the measured intensity. If knocking is absent to a high probability, ignition timing is advanced to a fixed extent. When only light knocking is detected, the measured intensity is monitored over numerous ignition cycles until the cumulative intensity level reflects a high probability either of desirable trace knocking or moderately disruptive knocking. In the latter case, ignition is retarded to a fixed extent.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsunori Oshiage
- 👤 Akito Yamamoto
- 👤 Yuji Nakajima
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:03
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02P; F02P5/00; F02P5/04; F02P5/145; F02P5/15; F02P5/152; G; G01; G01L; G01L23/00; G01L23/22; G01L23/221; G01L23/225; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A system for controlling ignition timing for an internal combustion engine, comprising: (a) first means, including a sensor for detecting a pressure in an engine cylinder of the engine and outputting a signal indicative thereof, for detecting the occurrence of an engine knocking on the basis of the signal outputted by said sensor; (b) second means for measuring the intensity of the knocking, the occurrence thereof being detected by said first means, said second means measuring the intensity of the knocking on the basis of a difference between correlated values of combustion vibration energies when knocking occurs and when knocking does not occur, the correlated values being derived from the output signal of the pressure sensor of the first means; and (c) third means for retarding an ignition advance angle according to the intensity of engine knocking measured by said second means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A system for controlling ignition timing for an internal combustion engine, comprising: (a) first means, including a sensor for detecting a pressure in an engine cylinder of the engine and outputting a signal indicative thereof, for detecting the occurrence of an engine knocking on the basis of the signal outputted by said sensor; (b) second means for measuring the intensity of the knocking, the occurrence thereof being detected by said first means, said second means measuring the intensity of the knocking on the basis of a difference between correlated values of combustion vibration energies when knocking occurs and when knocking does not occur, the correlated values being derived from the output signal of the pressure sensor of the first means; and (c) third means for retarding an ignition advance angle according to the intensity of engine knocking measured by said second means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said third means retards the ignition advance angle value by a retardation angle value of which varies in accordance with the measured knocking intensity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system according to claim 2, wherein said retardation angle value increases with the measured knocking intensity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the retardation angle value increases in proportion to the measured knocking intensity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the retardation angle value increases stepwise with the measured knocking intensity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said third means retards the ignition advance angle value in accordance with the measured knocking intensity and other measured engine operating conditions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said third means retards the ignition advance angle at a frequency which is determined according to the frequency of detection of occurrences of knocking.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said second means further comprises fourth means for determining whether the measured intensity of knocking exceeds a reference value and said third means retards the ignition advance angle value by one of two retardation angle values depending on whether the measured intensity of knocking exceeds the reference value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system according to claim 8, wherein when said fourth means determines that the measured intensity of knocking does not exceed the reference value said retardation angle value is smaller than when said fourth means determines that the measured intensity of knocking exceeds the reference value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system according to claim 8, wherein the retardation angle value increases in proportion to the measured knocking intensity when said fourth means determines that the measured intensity of the engine knocking exceeds the reference value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system according to claim 8, wherein the retardation angle value increases stepwise as the measured intensity of engine knocking increases when said fourth means determines that the measured intensity of engine knocking exceeds the reference value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system according to claim 8, wherein said third means retards the ignition advance angle value by the retardation angle value at a frequency determined according to the frequency of detection of occurrence of knocking when said fourth means determines that the measured intensity of engine knocking does not exceed the reference value.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for controlling ignition timing for an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of: (a) detecting a pressure in an engine cylinder and outputting a signal indicative thereof with a sensor; (b) monitoring an occurrence of the engine knocking on the basis of the signal outputted by the sensor; (c) measuring an intensity of engine knocking on the basis of a difference between corrected values of combustion vibration energies when the knocking occurs and when the knocking does not occur, the correlated values being derived from the output signal of the sensor; and (d) retarding an ignition advance angle according to the intensity of engine knocking measured in the step (c) with a control unit.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for controlling ignition timing for an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of: (a) detecting a pressure in an engine cylinder and outputting a signal indicative thereof with a sensor; (b) monitoring an occurrence of the engine knocking on the basis of the signal outputted by the sensor; (c) measuring an intensity of engine knocking on the basis of a difference between corrected values of combustion vibration energies when the knocking occurs and when the knocking does not occur, the correlated values being derived from the output signal of the sensor; and (d) retarding an ignition advance angle according to the intensity of engine knocking measured in the step (c) with a control unit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-10-18 | 1992-04-18 | 1992-10-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-10-18 | 1996-04-18 | 1996-10-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-10-18 | 2000-04-18 | 2000-10-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |