Method for controlling a flow of fuel to an engine of a vehicle during overrun operation

Claim 1

A method of controlling a flow of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: determining whether an accelerator pedal of the vehicle is in an idle position; determining whether a rotational speed of the engine is greater than a predetermined threshold value; determining whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path by sensing, for example, at least one of an angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle, speeds of vehicle wheels, and a transverse acceleration of the vehicle; determining whether the vehicle is in overrun operation as a function of whether the accelerator pedal of the vehicle is in the idle position and of whether the rotational speed of the engine is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and controlling the flow of fuel to the engine, during overrun operation of the vehicle, as a function of whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path.

Claim 2

A method of controlling a flow of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: determining whether an accelerator pedal of the vehicle is in an idle position; determining whether a rotational speed of the engine is greater than a predetermined threshold value; determining whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path by sensing, for example, at least one of an angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle, speeds of vehicle wheels, and a transverse acceleration of the vehicle; determining whether the vehicle is in overrun operation as a function of whether the accelerator pedal of the vehicle is in the idle position and of whether the rotational speed of the engine is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and controlling the flow of fuel to the engine, during overrun operation of the vehicle, as a function of whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path.

Claim 8

A method of controlling a flow of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: determining whether an accelerator pedal of the vehicle is in an idle position; if the accelerator pedal is in the idle position, determining whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path; determining a braking force exerted by the engine on the driving wheels of the vehicle during a condition of overrun operation based upon a predetermined rotational speed of the engine; determining an operating condition of the vehicle as a function whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path, the braking force, and whether the vehicle is a front wheel drive, rear wheel drive or four wheel drive model, and with respect to predefined first, second and third ranges of operating conditions, the first range indicating that dangerous driving situations will not occur if the flow of fuel to the engine is fully reduced, the second range indicating that dangerous driving situations will not yet occur if the flow of fuel to the engine is only partially reduced, and the third range indicating that dangerous driving situations may occur if the flow of fuel to the engine is reduced; if the determined operating condition of the vehicle falls within the first range, fully reducing the flow of fuel to the engine; if the determined operating condition of the vehicle falls within the second range, partially reducing the flow of fuel to the engine; and if the determined operating condition of the vehicle falls within the third range, maintaining the flow of fuel to the engine.

Claim 9

A method of controlling a flow of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: determining whether an accelerator pedal of the vehicle is in an idle position; if the accelerator pedal is in the idle position, determining whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path; determining a braking force exerted by the engine on the driving wheels of the vehicle during a condition of overrun operation based upon a predetermined rotational speed of the engine; determining an operating condition of the vehicle as a function whether the vehicle is moving along a substantially straight or curved path, the braking force, and whether the vehicle is a front wheel drive, rear wheel drive or four wheel drive model, and with respect to predefined first, second and third ranges of operating conditions, the first range indicating that dangerous driving situations will not occur if the flow of fuel to the engine is fully reduced, the second range indicating that dangerous driving situations will not yet occur if the flow of fuel to the engine is only partially reduced, and the third range indicating that dangerous driving situations may occur if the flow of fuel to the engine is reduced; if the determined operating condition of the vehicle falls within the first range, fully reducing the flow of fuel to the engine; if the determined operating condition of the vehicle falls within the second range, partially reducing the flow of fuel to the engine; and if the determined operating condition of the vehicle falls within the third range, maintaining the flow of fuel to the engine.