Traction control system with fuel and spark control

Claim 1

A method of traction control for a vehicle having wheels driven by an engine having fuel injectors delivering fuel to cylinders of the engine and having an ignition system adapted to initiate combustion in each of the cylinders in timed relation to engine rotation in accordance with a spark timing value, the method comprising the steps of: sensing an acceleration spin condition of the wheels; determining an engine torque reduction amount as a predetermined function of the acceleration spin condition; adjusting the spark timing value in response to a determined engine torque reduction amount (A) in a direction effecting a reduction in the engine torque output and (B) by an amount resulting in an engine torque reduction that is a predetermined amount less than a torque reduction amount resulting from disabling a single one of the fuel injectors; when the determined engine torque reduction amount exceeds the engine torque reduction achieved by the step of adjusting the spark timing value, determining a number of injectors to be disabled from injecting fuel to achieve the determined torque reduction amount; and disabling the determined number of injectors to inhibit delivery of fuel to the respective cylinders, whereby the step of adjusting the spark timing value provides for control of engine torque output when the determined engine torque reduction amount is less than the torque reduction that would result from disabling a single fuel injector.

Claim 2

A method of traction control for a vehicle having wheels driven by an engine having fuel injectors delivering fuel to cylinders of the engine and having an ignition system adapted to initiate combustion in each of the cylinders in timed relation to engine rotation in accordance with a spark timing value, the method comprising the steps of: sensing an acceleration spin condition of the wheels; determining an engine torque reduction amount as a predetermined function of the acceleration spin condition; adjusting the spark timing value in response to a determined engine torque reduction amount (A) in a direction effecting a reduction in the engine torque output and (B) by an amount resulting in an engine torque reduction that is a predetermined amount less than a torque reduction amount resulting from disabling a single one of the fuel injectors; when the determined engine torque reduction amount exceeds the engine torque reduction achieved by the step of adjusting the spark timing value, determining a number of injectors to be disabled from injecting fuel to achieve the determined torque reduction amount; and disabling the determined number of injectors to inhibit delivery of fuel to the respective cylinders, whereby the step of adjusting the spark timing value provides for control of engine torque output when the determined engine torque reduction amount is less than the torque reduction that would result from disabling a single fuel injector.

Claim 4

A method of traction control for a vehicle having wheels driven by an engine having fuel injectors delivering fuel to cylinders of the engine and having an ignition system adapted to initiate combustion in each of the cylinders in timed relation to engine rotation in accordance with a spark timing value, the method comprising the steps of: sensing an acceleration spin condition of the wheels; determining a requested percent reduction in engine torque output in response to a sensed acceleration spin condition; adjusting the spark timing value in response to a requested percent reduction in engine torque (A) in a direction effecting a reduction in the engine torque output and (B) by an amount resulting in a percent reduction in engine torque output that is a predetermined amount less than a percent reduction in engine torque output that would result from disabling a single one of the fuel injectors; when the requested percent reduction in engine torque output exceeds the percent reduction in engine torque output achieved by the step of adjusting the spark timing value, determining a number of injectors to be disabled from injecting fuel to achieve the requested percentage reduction in engine torque output; and disabling the determined number of injectors to inhibit delivery of fuel to the respective cylinders, whereby the step of adjusting the spark timing value provides for control of engine torque output when the requested percent reduction in engine torque output is less than the percent reduction in engine torque that would result from disabling a single fuel injector.

Claim 5

A method of traction control for a vehicle having wheels driven by an engine having fuel injectors delivering fuel to cylinders of the engine and having an ignition system adapted to initiate combustion in each of the cylinders in timed relation to engine rotation in accordance with a spark timing value, the method comprising the steps of: sensing an acceleration spin condition of the wheels; determining a requested percent reduction in engine torque output in response to a sensed acceleration spin condition; adjusting the spark timing value in response to a requested percent reduction in engine torque (A) in a direction effecting a reduction in the engine torque output and (B) by an amount resulting in a percent reduction in engine torque output that is a predetermined amount less than a percent reduction in engine torque output that would result from disabling a single one of the fuel injectors; when the requested percent reduction in engine torque output exceeds the percent reduction in engine torque output achieved by the step of adjusting the spark timing value, determining a number of injectors to be disabled from injecting fuel to achieve the requested percentage reduction in engine torque output; and disabling the determined number of injectors to inhibit delivery of fuel to the respective cylinders, whereby the step of adjusting the spark timing value provides for control of engine torque output when the requested percent reduction in engine torque output is less than the percent reduction in engine torque that would result from disabling a single fuel injector.