INTERMITTENT IGNITION MOTOR CONTROLLER; MOTOR; VEHICLE; METHOD OF DETERMINING AN IGNITION FRACTION F

专利摘要:
intermittent ignition engine controller summary; motor; vehicle; method of determining an ignition fraction for use by an intermittent ignition engine controller arrangement; method of controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine that has at least one working chamber; and intermittent ignition engine control method in various described modalities, intermittent ignition control is used to deliver a desired engine emission. a controller determines an intermittent ignition ignition fraction and (as appropriate) the associated engine configurations that are suitable for delivering a requested emission. in one aspect, the ignition fraction is selected from a set of available ignition fractions, where the set of available ignition fractions varies as a function of engine speed such that more ignition fractions are available at speeds higher engine speeds than at lower engine speeds. the controller then directs the ignitions as an intermittent ignition that delivers the selected ignition fraction. in other embodiments, the flash ignition controller is arranged to select a base ignition fraction that has a repeat ignition cycle length that will repeat at least a designated number of times per second at the current engine speed. such an arrangement can be useful in reducing the occurrence of undesirable vibrations.
公开号:BR112014008608B1
申请号:R112014008608-7
申请日:2012-10-17
公开日:2020-01-07
发明作者:Mohammad R. Pirjaberi；Adya S. Tripathi；Louis J. Serrano
申请人:Tula Technology, Inc.；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

INTERMITTENT IGNITION MOTOR CONTROLLER; MOTOR; VEHICLE; METHOD OF DETERMINING AN IGNITION FRACTION FOR USE BY AN INTERMITTENT IGNITION MOTOR CONTROLLER ARRANGEMENT; METHOD OF CONTROLING THE OPERATION OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE THAT HAS AT LEAST ONE WORKING CHAMBER; AND METHOD OF INTERMITTENT IGNITION ENGINE CONTROL
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS [0001] This request claims the priority of provisional requests No. 61 / 548,187 filed on October 17, 2011 and 61 / 640,646 filed on April 30, 2012, which are incorporated into this document as a reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention generally relates to intermittent ignition control of internal combustion engines. More particularly, ignition fraction management is used to help mitigate NVH issues in intermittent ignition engine control.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Most vehicles in operation today (and many other devices) are powered by internal combustion (IC) engines. Internal combustion engines typically have a plurality of cylinders or other working chambers where combustion takes place. Under normal driving conditions, the torque generated by an internal combustion engine must vary over a wide range in order to satisfy the driver's operational demands. Over the years, numerous methods of controlling internal combustion engine torque have been proposed and used. Some of
2/63 such approaches include varying the effective displacement of the engine. Engine control approaches that vary the effective displacement of an engine by sometimes stopping the ignition of certain cylinders are often called engine control with intermittent ignition ”. In general, intermittent-ignition engine control is understood to offer numerous potential advantages, which include the potential for significantly improved fuel economy in many applications. Although the concept of intermittent ignition engine control has been around for many years and its benefits are understood, intermittent ignition engine control has not yet achieved significant commercial success.
[0004] It is well understood that motors in operation tend to be the source of significant noise and vibrations, which are often collectively called in the field of NVH (noise, vibration and hardness). In general, a stereotype associated with intermittent ignition engine control is that intermittent engine ignition operation will make the engine operate significantly more rustic than conventional operation. In many applications such as automotive applications, one of the most significant challenges posed by intermittent ignition engine control is vibration control. In fact, it is believed that the inability to satisfactorily address NVH issues is one of the main obstacles that prevented the predominant adoption of intermittent engine control ignition types.
[0005] Common property patents no.
US7,954,474;
US7,886,715;
US7,849,835;
US7,577,511;
3/63
US8,099,224; US8,131,445 and US8,131,447 and common property orders No. US13 / 004,839; US13 / 004,844; and others, describe a variety of engine controllers that make it practical to operate a wide variety of internal combustion engines in an intermittent ignition operational mode. Each of these patents and patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference. Although the controllers described work well, there are ongoing efforts to further improve the performance of these and other intermittent ignition engine controllers to further mitigate NVH problems in engines operating under intermittent ignition control. The present application describes intermittent ignition control features and improvements that can improve engine performance in a variety of applications.
SUMMARY [0006] In several described modes, the intermittent ignition control is used to deliver the desired engine emission. A controller determines an intermittent ignition ignition fraction and (as appropriate) associated engine configurations that are suitable for delivering a requested emission.
[0007] In one aspect, the ignition fraction is selected from a set of available ignition fractions, with the set of available ignition fractions varying as a function of engine speed such that more ignition fractions are available at higher engine speeds than at lower engine speeds. The controller then directs the ignitions as an intermittent ignition that delivers the selected fraction of
4/63 ignitions.
[0008]
In another aspect, a requested ignition fraction is initially determined which is adequate to deliver the desired engine emission under selected engine operating conditions (which may be optimized or other operating conditions). When appropriate, an adjusted ignition fraction is subsequently determined to be a more preferred operational ignition fraction. The adjusted ignition fraction (operational / commanded) is generally close to, but different from the requested ignition fraction. The actual ignitions are then directed as an intermittent ignition that substantially delivers the commanded ignition fraction. At least one engine control parameter is set appropriately in such a way that the engine emits the desired emission in the adjusted ignition fraction.
[0009]
The use of such an adjusted ignition fraction is particularly useful when the requested ignition fraction would cause the generation of an ignition sequence that includes unwanted frequency components and / or is prone to inducing unwanted vibrations or acoustics. In such cases, a more desirable operational ignition fraction can be used and other engine control parameters (such as inlet pipe pressure, valve timing, spark timing, etc.) can be used to ensure delivery of the emission desired engine speed. In some embodiments, an adjusted ignition fraction determination unit is arranged to determine an operational ignition fraction that reduces vibrations within a defined frequency range in relation to the ignition fraction
5/63 requested.
[0010] In yet another aspect, filtration can be used to diffuse changes in the ignition fraction caused by multiple ignition opportunities. This is particularly useful in intermittent ignition controllers that track the portion of an ignition that has been selected but not yet targeted by the ignition controller and use that information to help manage transitions between different spark ignition fractions.
[0011] In another aspect, in some modalities, the controller is additionally arranged to adjust one or more selected engine parameters (for example, pipe pressure, valve timing, spark timing, choke position, etc.) as part of the intermittent ignition control. Often, the response of such adjustments is slower than changes can be made to the positive ignition fraction. In such applications, filtration can be arranged to trigger the response to changes in the positive ignition fraction to match the response to changes in the altered engine control parameter (s).
[0012] In several modalities, a power train adjustment block can be arranged to cause the adjustment of one or more selected power train control parameter (s) in a way that makes the engine produce the desired emission in the ignition fraction currently controlled. In another aspect, a filter that has a response that substantially matches the response of the adjusted power train control parameter (s) is provided. The filter is arranged to cause changes in the
6/63 positive ignition fraction to match changes in the adjusted power train control parameter.
[0013] In another aspect, the intermittent ignition controller is arranged to select a base ignition fraction that has a repeat ignition cycle length that will repeat at least a designated number of times per second at the current engine speed. . Such an arrangement can be useful in reducing the occurrence of undesirable vibrations.
[0014] Intermittent ignition engine controllers according to any of the aforementioned aspects are preferably arranged to track the portion of an ignition that has been commanded but not yet targeted in order to assist, thereby, in managing the transitions between different commanded ignition fractions. Controllers are also preferably arranged to diffuse ignitions while delivering the spark ignition fraction and through changes in the spark ignition fraction. In some deployments, such functionality is provided through the use of a first-order delta-sigma converter or its functional equivalent.
[0015] In some embodiments, hysteresis can be applied in determining the ignition fraction to help reduce the likelihood of rapid swings back and forth between the selected ignition fractions. Hysteresis can be applied to the requested torque, motor speed and / or other suitable admissions.
[0016] In some modalities, additional ignitions can occasionally be instructed to facilitate the interruption of a cyclical pattern associated with a fraction of
7/63 positive ignition. In addition or alternatively, the excitation can be added to the positive ignition fraction to facilitate the interruption of a cyclic pattern associated with a repetition ignition cycle.
[0017] In some modalities, a multidimensional query table can be used to determine the operational ignition fraction. In selected deployments, a first index for the lookup table is one among the requested emission and requested ignition fraction and a second index for the lookup table is engine speed. In various modalities, an additional or alternative index to the lookup table is transmission gear.
[0018] The various aspects and resources described above can be implemented separately or in any combination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] The invention and its advantages can be better understood with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an engine ignition control unit based on intermittent ignition according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating a cyclic pattern generator suitable for use as an adjusted ignition fraction calculator.
[0022] Figure 3 is an example graph that compares the ignition fraction delivered with the requested ignition fraction at a selected engine speed with
8/63 the use of a cyclic pattern generator according to Figure 2.
[0023] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating another alternate intermittent ignition based engine ignition control unit that incorporates the selected transition management and pattern interruption features.
[0024] Figure 5 is a graph that illustrates the vibration (measured in longitudinal acceleration) that was observed by operating an engine over a small range of ignition fractions.
[0025] Figure 6 is a graph that compares the ignition fraction delivered with the requested ignition according to another modality of an ignition control unit.
[0026] Figure 7 is an enlarged segment that compares the ignition fraction delivered with the ignition fraction requested in a particular implantation.
[0027] Figure 8 is a graph of the number of ignition fractions potentially available as a function of the maximum possible cyclic ignition opportunities.
[0028] Figure 9 is a graph of the number of ignition fractions potentially available as a function of engine speed.
[0029] In the drawings, similar reference numbers are sometimes used to designate similar structural elements. It should also be noted that the revelations in the figures are diagrammatic and not to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERENTIAL MODALITIES [0030] It is understood that the controllers of
9/63 intermittent ignition engines are generally susceptible to the generation of undesirable vibrations. When a small set of fixed flashing ignition patterns is used, the available ignition patterns can be chosen in order to minimize vibrations during steady state use. In this way, many intermittent ignition engine controllers are arranged to allow the use of only a very small set of predefined ignition patterns. Although such designs can be done for work, restricting intermittent ignition ignition patterns to a very small set of predefined sequences tends to limit the fuel efficiency gains that are made possible with the use of intermittent ignition control. Such designs also tend to experience engine rusticity during transitions between ignition fractions. More recently, the assignee of this application has proposed a variety of intermittent-ignition engine controllers that facilitate the operation of an engine in a continuously variable travel mode in which ignitions are dynamically determined to satisfy the driver's demand. Such ignition controllers (some of which are described in the patents and incorporated patent applications) are not restricted to the use of a relatively small set of fixed ignition standards. Preferably, in some of the deployments described above, the effective displacement of the engine can be changed at any time to track the driver demand by changing the intermittent ignition ignition fraction delivered in a way that satisfies the driver demand. Although such controllers work well,
10/63 there are ongoing efforts to further improve the noise, vibration and hardness (NVH) characteristics of intermittent ignition controller designs.
[0031] The intermittent ignition control approaches described in the present invention seek to obtain the flexibility of dynamic determination of the ignition sequence, while reducing the likelihood that undesirable ignition sequences are generated during the operation of the controlled engine. In some of the described modalities, this is done in part by preventing or minimizing the use of ignition fractions that have undesirable NVH characteristics. In a particular example, it has been observed that low frequency vibrations (for example, in the range of 0.2 to 8 Hz) are particularly notable for vehicle occupants and, therefore, in some modalities, efforts are made to minimize the use of strings ignition that are more likely to generate vibrations in this frequency range. At the same time, the engine is preferably controlled to consistently deliver the desired emission and to smoothly manipulate the transitions. In some other modalities, mechanisms are provided that promote the use of ignition fractions have better NVH characteristics.
[0032] The nature of the problem can perhaps be more readily seen in the context of an intermittent ignition controller that treats the signal inserted into the ignition controller as a request for a designated ignition fraction and uses a first-rate delta-sigma converter order to determine the timing of specific ignitions. When a first order delta-sigma converter is used, conceptually, for any level
11/63 determined digitally implanted admission signal (for example, for any specific requested ignition fraction), an essentially fixed repeat ignition pattern will be generated by the ignition controller (due in part to the quantization of the admission signal). In such an embodiment, a stationary intake would effectively cause the generation of a defined ignition pattern (although the phase of the ignition sequence can be shifted slightly based on the initial value in the accumulator). As is well understood by those skilled in the art, an engine will operate quite smoothly when some ignition patterns are generated, while other ignition patterns are more likely to generate unwanted vibrations. It has been observed that ignition sequences that have frequency components in the general range of 0.2 to 8 Hz tend to generate the most undesirable vibrations and that a noticeably smoother ride is felt by the vehicle occupants if the ignition control unit by Intermittent ignition is restricted to only generating ignition sequences / patterns that minimize the fundamental frequency components in that range.
[0033] Referring to Figure 1, a controller motor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The controlling motor includes an ignition control unit 120 (intermittent ignition controller) that is arranged to attempt to eliminate (or at least substantially reduce) the generation of ignition sequences that include fundamental frequency components in a designated frequency range. For the purpose of illustration, the frequency range of 0.2 to 8 Hz is treated as the frequency range in question. However, it must be
It is noted that the concepts described in the present invention can be more generally used to eliminate / minimize the frequency component in any frequency range in question such that an ignition controller designer can readily customize a controller to suppress any range frequency (or ranges) in question for the designer.
[0034] A unity of control in ignition per intermittent ignition 120 receive a signal in admission 110 indicative of an issue engine desired and is willing for
generate a sequence of ignition commands (trigger pulse signal 113) which together cooperate to cause the engine 150 to provide the desired emission using the intermittent ignition engine control. The ignition control unit 120 includes a requested ignition fraction calculator 122, an adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124, a power train parameter adjustment module 133 and an actuation pulse generator 130.
[0035] In Figure 1, the admission signal 110 is shown to be provided by a torque calculator 80, although it should be noted that the admission signal can come from any other suitable source. The torque calculator 80 is arranged to determine the desired motor torque at any given time based on numerous admissions. The torque calculator outputs a desired or requested torque 110 to the ignition fraction calculator 90. In various modalities, the desired torque can be based on numerous admissions that influence or dictate the desired motor torque at any given time. In automotive applications, one of the main admissions for the
13/63 torque is typically the accelerator pedal position (APP) 83 signal that indicates the accelerator pedal position. Other main admissions can come from other function blocks such as a cruise controller (CCS 84 command), the transmission controller (AT 85 command), a traction control unit (TCU 86 command), etc. There are also numerous factors such as motor speed that can influence the torque calculation. When such factors are used in torque calculations, then the appropriate admissions, such as engine speed (RPM 87 signal) are also provided or are obtainable by the torque calculator as needed. It should be noted that, in many circumstances, the functionality of the torque calculator 80 would be provided by the ECU. In other embodiments, signal 110 can be received or derived from any one of a variety of other sources including an accelerator pedal position sensor, a cruise controller, etc.
[0036] The requested ignition fraction calculator 122 is arranged to determine an intermittent ignition ignition fraction that would be appropriate to deliver the desired emission under selected engine operating conditions (for example, using operational parameters that are optimized for fuel efficiency, although this is not a requirement). The ignition fraction is indicative of the percentage of ignitions under the selected operating conditions that would be required to deliver the desired emission. In a preferred embodiment, the ignition fraction is determined based on the percentage of optimized ignitions that would be required
14/63 to deliver the requested engine torque to the driver compared to the torque that would be generated if all cylinders were ignored at an ideal operating point. However, in other cases, different level reference ignitions can be used in determining the appropriate ignition fraction.
[0037] The requested ignition fraction calculator 122 can take a wide variety of different forms. For example, in some embodiments, this could simply scale admission signal 110 appropriately. However, in many applications, it will be desirable to treat intake signal 110 as a requested torque or in some other way. It should be noted that the ignition fraction is generally not linearly related to the requested torque, but may preferably depend on a variety of variables such as engine speed, transmission gear and other engine / train operating parameters drive / vehicle. Therefore, in several modalities, the requested ignition fraction calculator 122 can take into account the current vehicle operating conditions (for example, engine speed, piping pressure, gear, etc.), environmental conditions and / or other factors in determining the fraction desired ignition Regardless of how the appropriate ignition fraction is determined, the requested ignition fraction calculator 122 emits a requested ignition fraction signal 123 indicative of an ignition fraction that would be adequate to provide the desired emission under the operational reference conditions. The requested ignition fraction signal 123 is passed to the adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124.
15/63 [0038] As discussed above, a characteristic of some types of intermittent ignition engine controllers is that they can sometimes direct the use of ignition sequences that can introduce unwanted engine and / or vehicle vibrations. The adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 is generally arranged to (a) select an ignition fraction close to the requested ignition fraction that is known to have desirable NVH characteristics; or (b) suppress or prevent the use of ignition fractions that are more likely to generate vibrations and / or unwanted acoustic noise. The adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 can take a wide variety of different forms as will be described in greater detail below. The emission of adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 is the positive operating ignition fraction signal 125 that is indicative of the effective ignition fraction that the engine is expected to emit. The positive ignition fraction 125 can be directly or indirectly fed to the drive pulse generator 130. The drive pulse generator 130 is arranged to issue a sequence of ignition commands (for example, drive pulse signal 113) that cause the engine to deliver the ignition percentage dictated by the positive ignition fraction 125 signal.
[0039] The trigger pulse generator 130 can also adopt a wide variety of different shapes. For example, in a described embodiment, the drive pulse generator 130 takes the form of a first order delta-sigma converter. Obviously, in other modalities, several other trigger pulse generators could be used,
16/63 including higher order sigma-delta controllers, other adaptive and predictive controllers, lookup table based converters or any other suitable converter or controller that is willing to deliver the ignition fraction requested by the positive ignition fraction signal 125. For example, many of the trigger pulse generators described in assignees of other patent applications can be used in this ignition control architecture as well. The drive pulse signal 113 emitted by the drive pulse generator 130 can be passed to an engine control unit (ECU) or combustion controller 140 that orchestrates the actual ignitions.
[0040] Since the positive ignition fraction signal 125 can command the ignition of a different percentage of possible ignition opportunities that was determined by the requested ignition fraction calculator 122, it should be noted that the engine emission does not necessarily match at the request of the drivers if no appropriate adjustments are made. Therefore, the ignition controller 120 may include a power train parameter adjustment module 133 which is adapted to adjust the selected power train parameters to adjust the emission of each ignition so that the actual engine emission substantially equals the requested engine emission. For example, if the requested ignition fraction 123 is 48% in the reference ignition conditions and the positive ignition fraction 125 is 50%, then the engine parameters can be adjusted in such a way that the emission torque of each ignition is approximately 96% of the reference ignition. In this way, ignition controller 120 ensures
17/63 that the engine emission delivered substantially equals the engine emission requested by the admission sign 110.
[0041] There are a variety of ways in which the engine parameters can be adjusted to change the torque provided by each ignition. An effective approach is to adjust the mass air load (MAC) delivered to each ignored cylinder and to allow the engine control unit (ECU) 140 to provide the appropriate fuel load for the commanded MAC. This is most easily accomplished by adjusting the choke position, which in turn changes the inlet piping pressure (MAP). However, it should be noted that the MAC can be varied using other techniques (for example, changing the valve timing) and there are numerous other engine parameters, which include fuel load, spark advance timing, etc. which can be used to change the torque provided for each ignition. If the controlled engine allows wide variations in the air-to-fuel ratio (for example, as is permitted in most diesel engines), it is possible to vary the cylinder torque emission by simply adjusting the fuel load. In this way, the cylinder ignition emission can be adjusted in any way that is desired to ensure that the actual engine emission in the positive ignition fraction is substantially equal to the requested engine emission.
[0042] In some operating modes, cylinders are deactivated during interrupted ignition opportunities. That is, in addition to not filling the cylinders during interrupted operating cycles, the valves are kept closed to reduce pumping losses.
18/63
During active ignition opportunities where the corresponding cylinders are ignored, the cylinders are preferably operated under conditions (for example, spark timing and timing and fuel injection levels) close to or in their ideal operating region, such as a operating region corresponding to optimal fuel efficiency. While fuel optimization efficiency is believed to be one of the primary goals in many deployments, it should be noted that increased torque or reduced emissions can also be the factors in determining the ideal operating region in any particular application. Therefore, the characteristics of the ideal or reference ignitions can be selected in any way considered appropriate by the controller designer.
[0043] In the modality illustrated in Figure 1, numerous components are illustrated by diagram as independent functional blocks. Although the independent components can be used for each functional block in real-world deployments, it should be noted that the functionality of the various blocks can be readily integrated together in any number of combinations. For example, the requested ignition fraction calculator 122, the adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 and the power train parameter adjustment module 133 can all be readily integrated into a single ignition fraction determination unit 224 (labeled in Figure 4) or can be deployed as components that incorporate a variety of different combinations of function blocks. Alternatively, the features of the adjusted ignition fraction calculator and
19/63 of the power train adjustment module can be integrated into a vibration control unit. The functionality of the various functional blocks can be realized algorithmically, in analog or digital logic, using query tables or in any other appropriate way. Any of the described components can also be incorporated into the logic of the motor control unit 140 as desired.
[0044] In a specific example, it should be noted that in the mode illustrated in Figure 1, the requested ignition fraction calculator 122 and the adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 cooperate to generate a signal indicating the desired ignition fraction and based on the current accelerator pedal position and other operating conditions. While the description of the functionality of these two separate components helps to explain the general function of the ignition fraction calculator and the combination of these two components works well to select an appropriate ignition fraction, it should be noted that the same or similar functionality can be readily performed through numerous other techniques. For example, in some embodiments, a torque request can be converted directly to the desired ignition fraction. The torque request can be the result of a desired torque calculation (for example, by the ECU or another component that effectively acts as a torque calculator), can be derived directly or indirectly from the accelerator pedal position or can be provided by any another suitable source.
[0045] In other modalities, a multidimensional query table can be used to select the
20/63 desired ignition fraction without the separate step of calculating or determining a requested ignition fraction. For example, in a specific deployment, the lookup table could be based on (a) the accelerator pedal position; (b) the engine speed (for example, RPM); and (c) the transmission gear. Obviously, a variety of other indices that include absolute piping pressure (MAP), engine coolant temperature and cam adjustment (i.e. valve closing and opening times), spark timing, etc. can be used as well as in other specific deployments. An advantage of using lookup tables is that modeling allows engine designers to customize and pre-design the ignition fractions that will be used for any particular operating conditions. Such selections can be customized to incorporate the desired ratios for vibration attenuation, acoustic characteristics, fuel economy and other competing and potentially conflicting factors. Such a table could also be arranged to identify the appropriate mass air load (MAC) and / or other engine configurations appropriate for use with the selected ignition fraction to provide the desired engine emission thereby incorporating the functionality of the power train parameter adjustment module 133 as well.
[0046] Any and all components described can be arranged to update your determinations / calculations very quickly. In some preferred modalities, these determinations / calculations are updated on an opportunity-by-ignition basis (also called an ignition cycle).
21/63 work per duty cycle), although this is not a requirement. An advantage of the ignition opportunity by ignition opportunity operation of the various components is that it makes the controller very responsive to changed admissions and / or conditions (especially in comparison to controllers that can only respond after an entire pattern of ignitions has been completed or after other defined delays). Although the opportunity-to-ignition operation is very effective, it should be noted that the various components (and especially the components before ignition controller 130) can be updated more slowly while still providing acceptable control (such as, for example, by updating each crankshaft revolution, etc.).
[0047] In many preferred deployments, ignition controller 130 (or equivalent functionality) performs a discrete no-ignition / ignition decision on an ignition-by-opportunity basis. This does not mean that the decision is necessarily made at the same time as the combustion event occurs, due to the fact that some initial time may be required to properly ventilate and supply the cylinder. Thus, ignition decisions are typically made contemporaneously, but not necessarily synchronously, with ignition events. That is, an ignition decision can be made either immediately preceding or substantially coincident with the ignition opportunity duty cycle or it can be made in one or more duty cycles before the actual ignition opportunity. Additionally, although many deployments make the decision to
22/63 ignition for each chamber ignition opportunity, in other deployments, it may be desirable to make multiple decisions (for example, two or more) at the same time.
[0048] In some preferred embodiments, the ignition control unit 12 0 can operate out of a signal synchronized with the engine speed and the cylinder phase (for example, to the top dead center (TDC) in cylinder 1 or some another reference). The TDC synchronization signal can serve as a clock for the ignition control unit. The clock can be configured so that it has an increasing digital signal that corresponds to each cylinder ignition opportunity. For example, for a four-stroke, six-cylinder engine, the clock can have three increasing digital signals per engine revolution. The increasing digital signal on successive clock pulses can be phased to substantially match the TDC (upper dead center) position of each cylinder at the end of its compression stroke, although this is not a requirement. In this way, the phase relationship between the clock and the motor can be chosen for convenience and different phase relationships can also be used.
[0049] Cyclic pattern generator [0050] Referring to Figure 2, a specific implementation of an adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 sometimes referred to in the present invention as a cyclic pattern generator (CPG) 124 (a) will be described in greater detail. Conceptually, the cyclic pattern generator 124 (a) is arranged to determine an operational ignition fraction that is close to the ignition fraction
23/63 requested while trying to ensure that the resulting ignition sequence eliminates or minimizes the ignition frequency components in the frequency range of maximum human sensitivity. There have been numerous studies that involve the effects of vibrations on vehicle occupants. For example, ISO 2631 provides instructions regarding the impact of vibration on vehicle occupants. In general, vibrations at frequencies between 0.2 and 8 Hz are considered to be within the worst types of vibration from the perspective of passenger comfort (although, of course, there are numerous competing theories for the most relevant limits). Therefore, in some deployments, it is desirable to operate the engine in a control mode that minimizes vibration frequencies in that range (or any range is the most important for the vehicle / engine designer).
[0051] In the first described mode, this is done, in part, by ensuring that an ignition pattern or sequence is used to repeat at a frequency that exceeds a designated limit. As such, the cyclic pattern generator 124 (a) effectively acts as a filter to reduce low frequency content that may be present in the ignition fraction determined by the requested ignition fraction calculator. The actual repetition limit may vary according to the needs of any particular application, but it is generally believed that the minimum repetition limits in the range of 6 to 12 Hz will work well in many applications. For the purpose of illustration, the example below uses a minimum repetition limit of 8 Hz, which has been concluded to be appropriate in many applications. However, it should be noted that the level
24/63 actual borderline used may vary between applications and that, in certain applications, the limit may actually vary on some basis in operating conditions (for example, such as engine speed).
[0052] Returning to the example, if a cyclic ignition pattern is selected to repeat eight or more times per second, it can be fully believed that the ignition pattern itself will have none or minimum fundamental frequency components below 8 Hz. words, if the ignition pattern is periodic and the number of repetitions of the cyclic pattern is 8 or more per second, then the engine will operate with a minimum vibration below 8 Hz. In such mode, the adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 (a) illustrated in Figure 2 is arranged to cause the trigger pulse generator 130 to emit a repetition pattern of ignition instructions that is repeated at least 8 times per second (i.e., at or above the repetition limit).
[0053] To better illustrate the concept, a six-cylinder, four-stroke engine that operates at 2,400 RPM with a desired repetition limit of 8 Hz is considered. Such an engine would have 7,200 ignition opportunities per minute or 120 ignition opportunities per second. Thus, as long as a repeat ignition sequence (called in the present invention a cyclic ignition sequence) is used that does not extend for more than 15 ignition opportunities (ie, 120 ignition opportunities per second divided by 8 Hz ), it can be considered that the cyclic ignition pattern itself will not have frequency components below 8 Hz.
[0054]
One way to implement this approach is to
25/63 calculate the maximum number of ignition opportunities that can be used in a repetition sequence without the risk of introducing frequency components below the desired limit (for example, 8 Hz). This value is called in the present invention the maximum possible cyclic ignition opportunity (MPCFO) and can be calculated by dividing the ignition opportunities per second by the desired minimum vibration frequencies. MPCFO can also be determined using a lookup table (LUT). In this example, MPCFO = 120/8 = 15. Any fractional MPCFO value can be rounded or truncated to avoid frequency content in an unwanted frequency range. It is observed that the MPCFO is a number without dimension that reflects the ignition opportunities per cycle, since it reflects the ratio of the frequency of ignition opportunity to the desired minimum vibration frequency.
[0055] Adopting the MPCFO as 15, the various possible operational ignition fractions that ensure the repetition of an ignition sequence at or above the desired frequency can be determined by considering all possible fractions with 15 or less in the denominator. These possible operational ignition fractions include: 15/15, 14/15, 13/15, 12/15, 11/15 ... 3/15, 2/15, 1/15; 14/14, 13/14, 12/14, .3 / 14, 2/14, 1/14; etc. that repeat such a pattern for denominator values 13 through 1. Analysis of the various possible operational ignition fractions indicates that there are 73 possible operational ignition fractions unique to an MPCFO of 15 (ie, which eliminates duplicate values once a number of fractions, for example, 6/15, 4/10, 2/5 will be repetitive). This set of fraction of
26/63 possible ignition can be treated by the adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 (a) as the set of available operational ignition fractions associated with an MPCFO of 15. It should be noted that the MPCFO will vary as a function of engine speed and that different MPCFOs would have different sets of operational ignition fractions available. To further illustrate this point, Figure 8 is a graph that illustrates the number of ignition fractions potentially available as a function of MPCFO.
[0056] The set of available operational ignition fractions that ensure that the ignition sequence will repeat at a rate that exceeds the minimum repeat limit can be readily determined dynamically during engine operation. This determination can be calculated algorithmically; found through the use of look-up tables or other suitable data structures; or by any other suitable mechanism. It should be noted that it is very easy to implement in part, due to the fact that the MPCFO is quite easy to calculate and each exclusive MPCFO will have a fixed set of allowable ignition fractions.
[0057] In general, the set of available ignition fractions that are identified using the MPCFO calculation approach can be considered a set of candidate ignition fractions. As will be discussed in greater detail below, it may also be desirable to additionally exclude some selected specific ignition fractions, due to the fact that they excite vehicle resonances or cause unpleasant noise. Excluded ignition fractions may vary
27/63 depending on the power train parameters, such as the transmission gear ratio.
[0058] The cyclic pattern generator 124 (a) is generally arranged to select the most appropriate of the operational ignition fractions available at any given engine speed. It should be evident that most of the time (in fact most of the time), the spark ignition fraction 125 will be different, although relatively close to, the requested ignition fraction 123. Figure 3 is an example graph that compares the fraction of ignition ignition requested with the ignition fraction delivered as can be generated using a representative adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 in a circumstance where the MPCFO is 15. As can be seen in Figure 3, the use of only a finite number of ignition fractions Discrete ignition results in a star-like ignition fraction delivery behavior.
[0059] As noted above, the requested ignition fraction 123 is determined based on the percentage of ignitions that would be appropriate to deliver the desired engine emission under specified ignition conditions (for example, optimized ignitions). When the positive ignition fraction 125 is different from the requested ignition fraction 123, the actual emission of the engine 150 would not match the desired emission if the cylinders were ignored under exactly the same conditions as contemplated in determining the requested ignition fraction. Therefore, the power train parameter adjustment module 133 (which can be optionally deployed as part of the adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 (a)) is also arranged to adjust some of the
28/63 engine operating parameters appropriately so that the actual engine emission when using the adjusted ignition fraction matches the desired engine emission. Although the powertrain parameter setting module 133 is illustrated as a separate component, it should be noted that this functionality can readily (and often will be) incorporated into the ECU or other appropriate component. As will be noted by those skilled in the art, numerous parameters can be readily changed to adjust the torque delivered by each ignition appropriately to ensure that the actual engine emission using the adjusted ignition fraction matches the desired engine emission. By way of examples, parameters such as choke position, spark advance / timing, intake and exhaust valve timing, fuel load, etc., can be readily adjusted to provide the desired torque emission by ignition.
[0060] As can be seen in Figure 3, for all requested ignition fraction levels except those close to 0 and 1, the discrete ignition fraction levels emitted by the cyclic pattern generator 124 (a) are relatively close to the levels requested. As described elsewhere, when the requested ignition fraction is close to 1, it may be preferable to operate the engine in a normal operating mode as opposed to an intermittent ignition operating mode. When the requested ignition fraction is close to zero (such as when the engine is idle), it may be preferable to operate the engine in a normal operating mode (without intermittent ignition) or to reduce the emission of each ignition so that a fraction of
29/63 higher ignition is required. From a control point of view, this is easily accomplished: (a) simply reduce the reference ignition emission used in the requested ignition fraction calculator 123; and (b) adjust the engine parameters accordingly.
[0061] As will be discussed in more detail below, the cyclic pattern generator 124 (a) (or another adjusted ignition fraction calculator) can optionally include an RPM hysteresis module and an ignition fraction hysteresis module. These modules serve to minimize unnecessary fluctuations in the CPG level due to minor changes in engine speed or requested torque. Hysteresis limits can vary as a function of motor speed and requested torque. In addition, hysteresis limits can be asymmetric depending on whether a torque increase or decrease is required. Hysteresis levels can also vary as a function of power train parameters, such as the transmission gear ratio or other vehicle parameters, such as whether brake is being applied.
[0062] Noise [0063] The cyclic pattern generation approach described above is very effective in reducing engine vibrations. However, there are some potential disadvantages of using repetitive patterns if not properly addressed. First, as will be explained in more detail below, the repetitive nature of the pattern itself can cause a resonance or beat frequency to become excited, resulting in a humming or scratching sound. Second, some repetitive patterns result in cylinders being stopped
30/63 for extended periods that can cause thermal, mechanical and / or control problems for the engine. In a V8 engine, all intermittent ignition fractions that can be represented as an N / 8 fraction present this potential problem. For example, an ignition fraction of ½ could potentially consistently ignore a set of four cylinders and never ignore the other four (which could be desirable or not desirable based on the specific cylinders being fired). Similarly, a 1/8 ignition fraction can consistently ignite one cylinder, but never the other seven. Other fractions can also display this property. Obviously, other sized engines have similar issues.
[0064] To better understand the nature of the acoustic beat problem, a 1/3 positive ignition fraction is considered that tends to operate very smoothly in many types of engines. In this arrangement, the ignition fraction can be implanted by igniting each third cylinder. A four-stroke V8 engine that operates at 1,500 RPM of ignition on each third cylinder will result in a fundamental frequency of 33 1/3 Hz. With such a high ignition frequency, little vibration is detected by the driver. Unfortunately, the regularity of the resulting pattern can create acoustic problems. Specifically, the actual cylinder ignition sequence is repeated every 24 ignition chances. Therefore, if the individual cylinder ignitions have slightly different acoustic characteristics (which is unusual due to factors such as the design of the exhaust system, etc.), a 4.2 Hz acoustic beat can occur. Such a beat can occur, due to the
31/63 the fact that, although the ignition in each third cylinder results in a fundamental frequency of 33 1/3 Hz, at 1,500 RPM, the exact same cylinder ignition pattern is repeated every 24 ignition opportunities in an engine eight cylinders. At 1,500 RPM, there are 100 ignition opportunities per second resulting in the repetition of the exact same cylinder sequence for about 4.2 times per second (ie 100 + 24 «4.2). Thus, there is the potential to generate a beat frequency of approximately 4.2 Hz. Such a beat is sometimes discernible by a vehicle occupant and when noticeable, it can become acoustically uncomfortable. On the other hand, the beat frequency is low enough so that it takes some time before an observer realizes it. Thus, when a vehicle is driven in the same ignition fraction continuously for several seconds, the acoustic resonances may become noticeable, otherwise they would not be noticeable. Obviously, there may be countless other resonant beats that can be excited as well.
[0065] In practice, it has been observed that in some engines, few allowed ignition patterns / cyclic ignition fractions generate undesirable acoustics. In fact, some of the softer ignition fractions like 1/3 and are sometimes susceptible to undesirable acoustics. In some circumstances, undesirable acoustics are associated with the types of resonant beat frequencies discussed above, which seem to be related to the characteristics and / or frequencies residing in the exhaustion trajectory. In other circumstances, (for example, when used) noise may be associated with switching to or between groups or
32/63 cylinder banks. For any particular engine and any particular vehicle (with its associated exhaust system, etc.), the ignition fraction / engine speed combinations that generate undesirable acoustic noise can be readily identified. Such identification can be carried out experimentally or analytically.
[0066] The problem of acoustic noise can be approached in numerous different ways. For example, ignition fractions that are susceptible to the generation of unwanted acoustic noise can be relatively and readily identified empirically and the adjusted ignition fraction calculator can be designed to obstruct the use of such fractions under specific operating conditions. In such an arrangement, the next highest ignition fraction or the next closest ignition fraction can be used in place of an ignition fraction that is perceived to be prone to generating acoustic noise. In other embodiments, the positive ignition fraction can be displaced by a slight amount of the ignition fractions calculated as will be described in greater detail below. Although the problem of acoustic noise was first discussed in the context of the cyclic pattern generator 124 (a), it should be noted that the fundamental acoustic issues are applicable to the design of any ignition fraction determination unit.
[0067] It has also been noted that acoustic noise issues are not always strictly an ignition fraction function. Preferably, other variables that include engine speed, gear, etc. may have an effect on the operating acoustics of the engine. Therefore, the adjusted ignition fraction determination unit can be
33/63 arranged to avoid the use of any ignition fraction / engine speed / gear combinations that generate such undesirable acoustic noise. In embodiments that use a look-up table to determine the appropriate adjusted ignition fraction 125, any ignition fraction with undesirable acoustic characteristics can simply be eliminated from the set of available ignition fractions. In modalities that calculate the positive ignition fraction 125 in real time (for example, algorithmically or using logic), a proposed ignition fraction can be initially calculated, and then the proposed ignition fraction can be verified to ensure that it is not a prohibited ignition fraction. If it is clear that a proposed ignition fraction is prohibited, a closer ignition fraction (for example, the next higher ignition fraction) can be selected in place of the prohibited ignition fraction. Such verification can be done using any suitable technique. For example, a lookup table that uses engine speed as an index could be used to identify potential ignition fractions that are prohibited for any given engine speed.
[0068] Another approach would be to simply add a factor to the prohibited ignition fraction that adequately attenuates acoustic noise. For example, if a proposed ignition fraction such as 1/3 is known to have undesirable acoustic characteristics, a different ignition fraction (for example, 17/50 or 7/20) could be used instead. These fractions have almost the same ignition frequency as 1/3, so only a small reduction in ignition torque is required to have the emission torque.
34/63 substantially matched to the requested torque. Again, the actual displacement can be predefined or calculated based on specific engine operating conditions.
[0069] Another mechanism that can be useful in addressing potential acoustic issues is to sometimes interrupt the repetition patterns that are generated by the ignition controller. It may also be desirable to prevent thermal and mechanical problems from arising in situations where only certain cylinders are being ignored / not ignored. One approach to disrupting the cyclic pattern is to cause the controller to occasionally add an extra ignition. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, an extra ignition insertion element 272 is provided that can be programmed to increase the value inserted in the ignition controller 230 by a few times. This has the impact of increasing the requested ignition fraction and will cause some extra ignitions. For example, if the insert increases the spark ignition fraction by 1% for an extended period, then the ignition controller will provide an extra ignition after every 100 ignition opportunities. The frequency and overall timing of the extra ignitions can be varied to meet the needs of any particular project, but it is generally desirable to keep the number of extra ignitions very low so that they do not significantly affect the overall engine emission. For example, increasing the percentage of ignitions directed by the positive ignition fraction 125 signal in the order of 0.5% to 5% is generally sufficient to break the standards enough to reduce
35/63 significantly the acoustic noise. In the illustrated embodiment, the insertion element is located upstream of the ignition controller 230. However, it must also be evident that extra ignitions can be introduced into the logic of the ignition control unit in a variety of locations to perform the same function.
[0070] The insert element 272 can also be programmed to insert additional ignitions (for example, increasing the ignition fraction) only in association with specific ignition fractions (for example, ignition fractions that are understood to have acoustic or other problems) problems). Adversely, the insert may be arranged not to insert additional ignitions in association with specific ignition fractions. In a particular deployment, the insertion element can include a two-dimensional lookup table that is used to identify the frequency of the extra ignition insertion (which could be zero, positive or negative for any particular operating state), with one of the indices being torque requested or fraction of positive ignition and the other being engine speed. Obviously, lower and upper dimension lookup tables and tables that use other indexes (for example, gear) and / or a variety of algorithmic approaches and other approaches could be used to determine the insertion frequency as well. In some deployments, it may also be desirable to randomize insertion timing. In still other aspects, it may be desirable to vary the magnitude of the insertion over time (for example, for a steady-state admission, increase by 1% for a short first period, followed by a
36/63 2% insertion and then no insertion). In this way, the nature of the insertion can be varied widely to meet the needs of any particular application.
[0071] Another approach to interrupting the pattern is to introduce excitation to the CPG command signal. Excitation can be considered a random noise as the signal that is superimposed on a main or second signal. If desired, excitation can be introduced by the insert 272 in addition to or in place of the additional ignitions. In other deployments, the excitation (or any of the other insert element functions 272) can be introduced internally in the ignition controller 230.
[0072] Still other approaches to mitigate acoustic problems are discussed below in relation to Figures 6 and 7. Additionally, it should be noted that some acoustic problems can be addressed through mechanical design of the vehicle in addition to the control of the ignition fraction and the sequence ignition. A relationship may exist between the complexity in the ignition sequence control algorithm
and the mechanical design of the vehicle where a solution in motorization with cost-benefit can be determined per those elements skilled in the art. [0073] Smoothing Operation [0074] It was observed that in controllers in
conventional intermittent ignition (which typically uses a small set of effective ignition fractions), some of the most notable engine rusticities tend to be associated with transitions between different ignition patterns. A feature of the intermittent ignition controller described above in relation to Figure 1 is that the ignition controller at
37/63 sigma-delta base (trigger pulse generator) 130 inherently diffuses ignition commands, even in the midst of changes in the positive ignition fraction. It should be noted that this diffusion of the ignition controls has several desirable effects. Initially, diffusion tends to smooth the engine's operation at any given ignition fraction, since ignitions tend to be correctly spread evenly. Additionally, diffusion helps to smooth the transitions between the different ignition fractions, since the accumulator function of the delta-sigma converter effectively tracks the portion of an ignition that was previously requested, but not delivered, and therefore the transitions between ignition fractions tend not to be divided as would be observed without such tracking. In other words, the delta-sigma converter effectively tracks the portion of an ignition that has been requested (for example, requested by the positive ignition fraction signal 125), but has not yet been directed (for example, directed in the form of a pulse signal actuation unit 113). This tracking or recent ignition memory facilitates the transition from one ignition fraction to the next at any point in the ignition sequence, which is quite advantageous. That is, there is no need for a pattern to complete a cycle before a different ignition fraction can be commanded.
[0075] Still in addition, some of the deployments described include the use of a clock based on engine speed (RPM). A potential complication of using an RPM clock is that each ignition cylinder tends to cause a noticeable change in the engine's RPM. From
38/63 from a control point of view, this effectively imposes clock instability that can adversely affect the controller. Another benefit of more uniform diffusion of ignitions on controllers that use an RPM clock is that diffusion also tends to reduce the adverse effects of clock instability.
[0076] Although sigma-delta based ignition controllers (and other similar types of converters) perform an enormous amount of smoothing for engine operation, there are numerous other control features that can be used to help further smooth the operation of engine. Referring again to Figure 4, several additional control components and methodologies that can be added to or used with any of the intermittent ignition controllers described to further improve the smoothness and driving ability of the controlled engine / vehicle. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the ignition control unit 220 includes an ignition fraction determination unit 224, a pair of low-pass filters 270, 274 and an ignition controller 230 (and optionally insertion element 272). In this modality, the power train parameter adjustment module 133 is also responsible for determining the desired mass air load (MAC) and / or other engine configurations that are desirable to help ensure that the actual engine emission matches with the requested engine emission. The ignition controller 230 can take the form of a delta-sigma converter or any other converter that delivers a positive ignition fraction.
[0077]
It was observed that during the
39/63 steady state, most drivers are not able to keep their foot perfectly on the accelerator pedal while driving. That is, most drivers' feet tend to swing up and down a little while driving even when trying to keep the pedal stationary. It is believed to be due, in part, to physiological considerations and due, in part, to the road's inherent vibrations. Regardless of the cause, such oscillations become minor variations in the requested torque, which can potentially cause relatively frequent switching back and forth between adjacent ignition fractions if the oscillations happen to cross a threshold that would normally cause the fraction fraction calculator ignition switched between two different ignition fractions. Such frequent back and forth switching between the ignition fractions are generally undesirable and typically do not reflect any driver's intention to actually change the engine emission. A variety of different mechanisms can be used to mitigate the effect of such minor variations on the signal accelerator pedal 110. By way of example, in some embodiments, a prefilter 261 is provided to filter out such minor oscillations in the intake signal. The pre-filter can be used to effectively eliminate some minor oscillatory variations in the admission signal 110, which are believed to be unintentional by the driver. In other embodiments, in addition to or in place of prefilter 261, the ignition fraction determination unit 224 may be arranged to apply hysteresis to, or otherwise, ignore minor oscillatory variations in the accelerator pedal 110 admission signal at the
40/63 determination of the positive ignition fraction. This can be readily accomplished by using a hysteresis constant that requires the admission signal 110 to change a defined amount before any changes are made to the requested / commanded ignition fraction. Obviously, the value of such a hysteresis constant can be varied widely to meet the needs of any particular application. Similarly, instead of a constant, the hysteresis limit can take the form of a percentage change in torque demand or use other suitable limit functions.
[0078] In still other applications, torque hysteresis can be applied by a torque calculator, ECU or other component as part of determining the requested torque. The actual torque hysteresis limits used and / or the nature of the applied hysteresis used can vary widely to meet the desired design objectives.
[0079] It is important to note that the restriction to the relevant ignition fraction determination unit 122, 224, etc. just changing the requested / commanded ignition fraction in response to the admission signal variations greater than a limit quantity does not mean that the ignition control unit 120, 220 etc. does not deliver an actual engine emission that tracks drivers' requests. Preferably, any minor variations in the intake signal can be manipulated in a more traditional way by varying the engine configurations (e.g., mass air load) appropriately while using the same ignition fraction.
[0080]
A particularly
41/63 What is remarkable about some ignition fraction calculators described in the present invention is that the number of available ignition fractions is, or can be, variable based on the engine's operating speed. That is, the number of ignition fractions that are available for use at higher engine speeds may be greater (and potentially and significantly greater) than the number of ignition fractions that are available for use at lower engine speeds. This feature is quite different from conventional intermittent ignition controllers which are generally restricted to the use of a relatively small fixed set of ignition fractions that are independent of engine speed. By way of example, the algorithmic deployments of the cyclic pattern generator 124 (a) described above are arranged to calculate the number and values of possible states of operational ignition fractions dynamically during engine operation. As such, the set of possible operational ignition fractions will at any time change the integer value of the MPCFO changes. Obviously, in other (for example, table-based) deployments, the limits at which more ignition fractions become available can vary in different ways.
[0081] Regardless, since the spark ignition fraction can vary, in part, as a function of engine speed, there may be circumstances where small changes in engine speed would cause a change in the spark ignition fraction. It has been observed that transitions between ignition fractions tend to be a potential source of undesirable acoustic vibrations and / or noise and that rapid oscillations back and forth between
42/63 adjacent ignition fractions tend to be particularly undesirable. To help reduce the frequency of such oscillations, the ignition fraction determination unit 124, 124 (a), 224 etc. it can be arranged to provide dynamic RPM-based hysteresis so that relatively small variations in engine speed do not cause changes in the ignition fraction.
[0082] To better illustrate the nature of the problem, an ignition control unit 120, 220 using a cyclic pattern generator (CPG) is considered
124 (a) to determine the positive ignition fraction. It should be noted that each cylinder ignition can cause an unusual change in engine speed (RPM). Thus, if the engine is operating at a speed close to a limit between CPG levels, successive ignitions and non-ignitions of specific cylinders would cause the controller to swing back and forth between the CPG levels and, therefore, the commanded ignition fractions, which would be undesirable. (It is observed that a range of requested ignition fractions or intake is mapped to a common positive ignition fraction, that is, a common CPG level). Therefore, in such an implementation, it is desirable to ensure that a change in motor speed is above a minimum step value before the cyclic pattern generator 124 (a) actually changes an initial CPG level to a different CPG level. The amount of RPM hysteresis applied to any particular controller design can be varied to meet the needs of the particular vehicle control scheme. However, by way of example, a formula that is appropriate for the implantation of a generator of
43/63 cyclic pattern 124 (a) described is as follows:
[0083] RPM hysteresis = (High Pass Cut Frequency * 120 / n ° Cylinders) [0084] where High Pass Cut Frequency is the repetition limit indicative of the minimum number of times a repeating pattern of instructions Ignition is expected to be repeated every second, for example, 8 Hz in the example provided above and n ° Cylinders is the number of cylinders the engine has. As discussed above, in some deployments, it may be desirable to vary the High Pass Cutoff Frequency as a function of engine speed, gear or other factors. In such deployments, the applied level of RPM hysteresis can also vary as a function of such factors.
[0085] In other applications, it may be desirable to use an RPM hysteresis limit (ie, which requires engine speed changes greater than a designated value (eg 200 RPM)) or an RPM hysteresis, this is based in a percentage of motor speed (for example, that requires changes in motor speed greater than a designated percentage of motor speed (for example, 5% of rated motor speed)). Obviously, the actual values used for such limits can be varied widely to meet the needs of any particular application.
[0086] In another specific implementation, a shutdown can be provided to maintain a minimum motor speed value (for example, RPM) that was observed in recent motor speed fluctuations. The terminated engine speed is then only increased when a
44/63 change in motor speed that exceeds RPM hysteresis is observed. This terminated engine speed can then be used in various calculations that require engine speed as part of a calculation or query. Examples of such calculations may include the engine speed used in calculating the MPCFO or as indices for various lookup tables, etc. Some of the advantages of using this minimum engine speed value closed in certain calculations are that: (a) it helps to ensure a quick response to a reduction in torque demand (for example, when the driver releases the accelerator pedal); and (b) ensures that the High Pass Cutoff Frequency does not decrease below the requested value.
[0087] Transient Response [0088] With the intermittent ignition controllers based on the ignition fraction management base described, there would typically be a gradual change in the requested mass air charge (MAC) any time that a change is made to the fraction of positive ignition. However, in many circumstances, the choke response time and the inherent delays associated with increasing or decreasing the airflow rate through the intake pipe to provide a requested change in MAC are such that if there is a gradual change at the requested MAC, the amount of air that is actually available during the next few ignition opportunities (ie the actual MAC) may be slightly different from the requested MAC. Therefore, in such circumstances, the MAC actually available for the next positive ignition (or the next few positive ignitions) may be slightly different from the requested MAC. IS
45/63 it is generally possible to predict and correct such errors.
[0089] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the emission of the ignition fraction calculator 224 is passed through a pair of filters 270, 274 before being delivered to the ignition controller 230. Filters 270 and 274 (which can be filters low pass) attenuate the effect of any gradual change in the spark ignition fraction in such a way that the change in the ignition fraction is diffused over a longer period. This diffusion or delay can help smooth transitions between different commanded ignition fractions and can also be used to help compensate for mechanical delays in changing engine parameters.
[0090] In particular, filter 270 smooths the abrupt transition between different commanded ignition fractions (for example, different CPG levels) to provide better response to engine behavior and then avoid an irregular transient response. It is generally acceptable to operate at non-CPG levels during transitions between CPG levels, since the transient nature of the response prevents the generation of low frequency vibrations.
[0091] As discussed earlier, when the ignition fraction determination unit 224 directs a change in the positive ignition fraction, this will also typically cause the power train adjustment module 133 to address a corresponding change in the engine settings ( for example, choke position that can be used to control piping pressure / mass air load). To the extent that the 270 filter response time differs from the response time for deploying changes to the targeted engine configuration, there may be
46/63 a mismatch between the requested engine emission and the engine emission delivered. In fact, in practice, the mechanical response time associated with implementing such changes is much slower than the ignition control unit's clock rate. For example, a commanded change in pipe pressure may involve changing the choke position that has an associated mechanical time delay and there may be an additional delay time between the actual movement of the choke and the desired pipe pressure range. The consequent result is that it is often impossible to implement a command change to certain engine configurations within the time span of a single ignition opportunity. If not explained, these delays would result in a difference between the engine emission requested and the engine emission delivered. In the illustrated embodiment, filter 274 is provided to help reduce such discrepancies. More specifically, the 274 filter is staggered, so its emission changes also at a rate similar to the engine behavior; for example, this can substantially match the dynamics of filling / emptying inlet piping.
[0092] In the modality illustrated in Figure 4, the emission 225 (a) of the ignition fraction determination unit 224 passes through the filter 270 resulting in signal 225 (b). If an insertion element 272 is used, its emission is added at this stage by the adder 226 resulting in signal 225 (c). Obviously, if no insertion element is used (or no insertion is applied), the signs 225 (b) and 225 (c) would be the same. This 225 (c) signal is preferably the positive ignition fraction that is seen and used by the module
47/63 power train parameter setting 133 in determining the appropriate power train settings so that engine settings are calculated appropriately to deliver the desired engine emission for the positive ignition fraction taking into account the effects of the filter 270 and (if present) insertion element 272. Meanwhile, signal 225 (c) is passed through filter 274 before actually being delivered to the ignition controller 230 as the positive ignition fraction 225 (d). As described above, filter 274 is arranged to help account for the transient response delays inherent in changing engine configurations. In this way, filter 274 helps to ensure that the ignition fraction actually requested from ignition controller 230 accounts for such inherent delays.
[0093] It should be evident that the causes of delay in completing a controlled transition between the ignition fractions conferred by the filter 270 will be inconsequential for the engine response as a whole in most circumstances. However, there are times when such a delay may be undesirable, such as when there is a major change in the requested ignition fraction. To accommodate such situations, filters can incorporate a bypass mode that causes emission 225 (a) from ignition fraction determination unit 224 to be passed directly to ignition controller 230 when major changes in ignition fraction are directed . The design of such bypass filters is well understood in filter design techniques. For example, the internal filter settings can be reset to force
48/63 the emission of the filter to a predetermined value.
[0094] A variety of low-pass filter designs can be used to deploy both 270 and 274 low-pass filters. The construction of the filters can be varied to meet the needs of any particular application. Alternatively, the sensors can be arranged to feed signals to the ignition control unit 220 that actively monitor the time evolution of the MAP. In view of this information and an accurate MAP model, filter 274 can be adjusted based on this information. In some specific embodiments, low pass IIR filters (infinite impulse response) are used as filters 270 and 274 and it has been found that they work particularly well. Like the positive ignition fraction signal 225 and the ignition controller 230, such an IIR filter is preferably clocked with each ignition opportunity. The construction of a private first-order IIR filter design suitable for use in this application is explained below. Although a particular filter design is described, it should be noted that a wide variety of other low-pass filters can also be used, which include FIR (finite impulse response) filters, etc.
[0095] As will be noted by those familiar with the filter design technique, the formula for a distinct first order IIR filter with a sampling time T would be:
[0096] Yn = CT * Xn + (1-CT) Y (n-1) [0097] However, in the described mode, the clock is variable and is linked to the motor speed.
49/63
Therefore, in order to convert the first order IIR filter from a constant sample time into a variable first order time filter based on the crankshaft angle, the coefficient needs to be recalculated as follows:
[0098] CF = : (CT / T) * (60 / RPM) / (n ° in Cylinder / 2)[0099] CF = (2 * CT / T) * (60 / RPM) / (n ° in Cylinder)[0100] CF = K * (60 / RPM) / (No. of Cylinder)[0101] Where CT and CF are the coefficient of the filter respectively for one time base filter T e one
angle-based F filter or ignition fraction.
[0102] Therefore, the formula for a first order IIR filter with the same characteristics as the time-based IIR filter mentioned above would be:
[0103] YF = CF * XF + (1-CF) Y (F-1) [0104] Although a particular first order IIR filter has been described, it should be noted that other filters, which include order IIR filters filter and other suitable filters could readily be used in place of the distinct first order IIR filter described.
[0105] Ignition fraction distortion [0106] In the approaches described above, a set of operational ignition fractions that have good vibration characteristics (or NVH) is identified and the ignition fraction determination unit 224 emphasizes the use of these fractions ignition during engine operation. The set of operational ignition fractions can be obtained analytically or experimentally or using other suitable approaches. The limitation of a controller of
50/63 intermittent ignition the use of such ignition fractions can significantly reduce engine vibration. One way to visualize this approach is to observe that the requested torque ranges are mapped to a single ignition fraction that results in a star type mapping between the requested torque and the commanded ignition fraction as illustrated in Figure 3. In other words, in this approach, the positive ignition fraction remains constant over a range of torque requests (which in Figure 3 is reflected as a range of requested ignition fractions).
[0107] In the modality described in relation to Figure 2, a specific method is revealed to identify certain ignition fraction values that are known to reduce the amount of vibration produced by engines operating in an intermittent ignition mode. For the convenience of this description, points can be called CPG points, although such points can be determined analytically or experimentally or with the use of such hybrid techniques. In practice, the observed vibrations will not increase dramatically with the use of ignition fractions that are very close, but not exactly equal to a CPG point. Preferably, although the relationship is very different from linear, the vibration characteristics tend to be worse for ignition fractions that are additionally distant from any CPG points. This characteristic can be seen graphically, for example, in Figure 5 which illustrates the measured longitudinal acceleration (a particularly significant vibration characteristic) in ignition fractions in the vicinity of 1/3 of the CPG point. This feature is explored in a fraction fraction calculator.
51/63 alternate adjusted ignition 124 (b) which will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 7.
[0108] In this mode, the adjusted ignition fraction calculator 124 is arranged to map the requested ignition fraction (or requested torque) to the commanded ignition fraction in a way that somewhat resembles the ladder type of the Figure approach 3, but differs in the fact that the operated portion 375 of the steps is designed to have small angular coefficients (that is, they are not horizontal) while the rising portions 377 of the steps have much larger angular coefficients as can be seen in Figures 6 and 7. Conceptually, an ignition fraction calculator that maps the requested torque (or requested ignition fraction) to a positive ignition fraction 125 in this way has several interesting characteristics.
[0109] By adding a small slope to the operated portion of the step, the positive ignition fraction 125 associated with a range of requested torques is distorted so that it remains close to a target CPG point, but is not constant. In this way, the vibration is reduced since the values that are close to the CPG points also tend to have good vibration characteristics. At the same time, acoustic resonances are much less likely to be excited, particularly if the requested ignition torque / fraction is constantly changing, even in small quantities. As outlined above, studies have concluded that, even in steady-state driving conditions, the signal emitted by the accelerator pedal tends to oscillate a little. This inherent characteristic of the admission signal can be
52/63 explored to help reduce acoustic resonances.
[0110] The portions of ascending the steps can be conceptually considered to represent transitions between stages of CPG. By deduction, these transitional regions generally reflect regions with less desirable vibration characteristics. If the slope of the mapping in that region is relatively excessive, then the transition between the CPG stages will be relatively fast which means that the amount of time that the requested torque will likely be within these transitional regions is likely to be relatively low. By minimizing the time that the ignition controller 130, 230 is instructed to emit an ignition fraction in these transitional regions, the probability of generating undesirable vibrations is substantially reduced and good NVH characteristics can be obtained.
[0111] There are many algorithms that can be used to generate such a mapping. A simple approach is a linear mapping in parts. Such mapping can readily be characterized by the following: (1) a set of desirable operating points (for example, CPG points); (2) a parameter that dictates the slope of the mapping around the operational points; and (3) a parameter that dictates the slope of the mapping at the midpoint between the operational points. The set of operational points can be identified using any suitable approach (eg, algorithmic, experimentally, etc.). It is noted that the previously described CPG points work particularly well for this purpose and the following description uses CPG points as
53/63 the operational points. However, it should be noted that the use of CPG points is certainly not a requirement. The angular coefficient (Se) of the mapping around the CPG points corresponds to the angular coefficient of the operated portion 375 of the steps. This slope (Se) will be less than one and preferably significantly less than one. For example, slopes of 1/3 or less and, more preferably, 0.1 or less work well. The angular coefficient (Sm) of the mapping at the midpoint between the CPG points corresponds to the angular coefficient of the 377 uphill portion of the steps. This slope (Sm) will be greater than one (and preferably significantly greater than one, such as 3 or more and more preferably 10 or more). In the illustrated mode, the step-up portion of the steps is centered at the midpoint between the CPG points that work well, although again, this is not a restricted requirement.
[0112] With this set of restrictions, the input ignition fraction mapping to emit ignition fraction is completely determined. In view of the above parameters, at any time the emission ignition fraction can be calculated using the following algorithm.
[0113] Step 1: find the highest CPG point below the incoming ignition fraction (CPGlo) and the lowest CPG point above the incoming ignition fraction (CPGhi).
[0114] Step 2: calculate the midpoint (MP) of CPGlo and CPGhi.
[0115] Step 3: determine the point of intersection of a line through CPGlo with slope If and a line through MP with slope Sm. This is the
54/63 low break point (BP _lo ).
[0116] Step 4: determine the point of intersection of a line through CPG _hi with slope S _e and a line through MP with slope S _m . This is the high breaking point (BP _hi ).
[0117] Step 5: determine which segment the requested ignition fraction is based on. The three segments are: a) between CPGlo and BPlo; b) between BPlo and BPhi; and c) between BPhi and CPGhi.
[0118] Step 6: use the corresponding line (represented as a linear equation) to calculate the emission ignition fraction.
[0119] In a deployment that dynamically calculates line segments, steps 1 through 5 do not need to be calculated when the ignition fraction moves from one segment to another or when one of the input parameter changes (for example, the set of available CPG points). In this way, only the last step would need to be calculated with each ignition opportunity. Obviously, the results of the first five steps can also be readily implemented in the form of a look-up table to further simplify the calculations. It should be noted that the format of the line segment (s) between the CPG points can be readily customized using such an approach and that the segments can be readily defined using one or more intermediate points other than the midpoint between adjacent CPG points.
[0120] This described distortion of the ignition fraction is compact and easy to calculate. It has the benefit of reducing the likelihood of accumulation of
55/63 acoustic resonance which is more likely to occur when a single ignition fraction is used for an extended period of time. The nature of the incoming ignition fraction to emit the ignition fraction map causes the engine to operate preferentially in low vibration regions. The relationship between these two objectives (that is, the preference for staying in a good point in vibration versus the desired one to avoid acoustic resonances) can be made with the use of a small set of parameters.
[0121] Although the described linear mapping in parts works well, it should be noted that a wide variety of other mappings could readily be used instead. For example, techniques that use cubic polynomials to match the slope and values in CPG and midpoint can readily be used and tend to work well. Additionally, in the illustrated mode, a single function is used to define the mapping of transitions between the CPG points. However, this is not a requirement. In alternative modalities, different functions can be used to map the transitions between adjacent CPG point pairs and / or different angular coefficients can be used for different individual segments. For example, the slope around ½ of the CPG point could be zero, while adjacent segments can have a positive slope. It may be desirable to allow the engine to operate in a manner more similar to conventional variable displacement engines when the ignition fraction is close to half (or other ignition fractions that are coextensive with traditional variable displacement operating states). Alternatively, the coefficient
56/63 angular through the CPG point could be very large or infinite, effectively excluding its operation at the CPG level.
[0122] Other features [0123] The described ignition fraction management techniques take advantage of knowledge of engine operating characteristics to encourage the use of ignition fractions that have lower vibration characteristics while compensating for changes in the ignition fraction through changing appropriate engine operating parameters (such as mass air load). The resulting controllers are general and relatively easy to deploy and can significantly reduce NVH problems when compared to conventional intermittent ignition engine control. Although only a few embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it should be noted that the invention can be implemented in many other ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
[0124] Notably, numerous features such as filters 270 and 274, insertion element 272, prefilter 261, the use of hysteresis in various intake signals used in calculations within an ignition fraction calculator (or other component) , the use of a clock based on engine speed or crank angle, etc., have been described in the context of specific modalities. Although these features have been specifically discussed in the context of certain modalities, it should be noted that the concepts are more general in nature and that such components and their associated functions can be incorporated
57/63 advantageously in any of the intermittent ignition control units described and / or claimed.
[0125] Allowing the controller to use a considerably wide range of ignition fractions as opposed to a considerably small set contemplated by most intermittent ignition controllers (or the extremely limited selection of permissible displacements on conventional variable displacement engines) facilitates reach fuel efficiency as possible in such conventional designs. Active ignition fraction management and the various techniques described help to mitigate NVH issues. At the same time, the requested torque is delivered by adjusting the appropriate engine settings such as the choke setting, (which helps to control the piping pressure and thereby the MAC) to properly deliver the desired engine emission. The resulting combinations facilitate the design of a variety of different economical intermittent-ignition engine controllers.
[0126] It was noted above that in many deployments, the number of ignition fractions available can vary as a function of engine speed. Although there are non-fixed cuts, it is common for the number of ignition fraction states available for an eight-cylinder engine that operates at an engine speed of 1,000 RPM or higher to have at least 23 ignition fractions available and that the same engine that operates at an engine speed greater than 1,500 RPM has more than twice the number of available ignition fraction states. For example, Figure 8 illustrates
58/63 graphically the increase in the number of ignition fractions potentially available with increasing MPCFO in the modality of Figure 2. For a fixed cutoff frequency, the MPCFO increases linearly with the engine speed. Figure 9 represents the increase in ignition fractions potentially available for an 8-cylinder, 4-stroke engine that has a fixed cutoff frequency of 8 Hz. As can be seen in the present invention, the number of potentially available ignition fractions increases more than linearly with engine speed, which facilitates better fuel efficiency and smoother transitions between ignition fractions.
[0127] Several of the described modalities discuss algorithmic or logical approaches to determine an adjusted ignition fraction. It should be noted that any of the features described can be readily performed algorithmically, using query tables, in different logic, in programmable logic or in any other suitable way.
[0128] Although intermittent ignition management is described, it should be noted that in real deployments, intermittent ignition control does not need to be used to exclude other types of engine control. For example, there will often be operational conditions where it is desirable to operate the engine in a conventional way (ignore all cylinders) where the engine's emission is mainly modulated by the choke position as opposed to the ignition fraction. Additionally or alternatively, when a positive ignition fraction is coextensive with an operational state that would be available in a
59/63 standard variable displacement (that is, where only a fixed set of cylinders is ignored at all times), it may be desirable to operate only a specific pre-designated set of cylinders to mimic the operation of conventional variable displacement engine in such ignition fractions.
[0129] The invention has been described mainly in the context of ignition control of four-stroke piston engines suitable for use in motor vehicles. However, it should be noted that the continuously variable displacement approaches described are very well suited for use in a wide variety of internal combustion engines. These include engines for virtually any type of vehicle, which includes cars, trucks, boats, aircraft, motorcycles, scooters, etc .; for non-vehicular applications such as generators, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, models, etc .; and virtually any other application that uses an internal combustion engine. The various approaches described work with engines that operate under a wide variety of different thermodynamic cycles, which includes virtually any type of two-stroke piston engines, diesel engines, Otto cycle engines, double cycle engines, Miller cycle engines, Atkins cycle engines, Wankel engines and other types of rotary engines, mixed cycle engines (such as double Otto cycle engines and diesel engines), hybrid engines, radial engines, etc. The approaches described are also believed to work well with newly developed internal combustion engines regardless of whether they operate using currently known or developed thermodynamic cycles
60/63 later.
[0130] Some of the examples in the patents and in the incorporated patent applications contemplate an optimized intermittent ignition approach in which the ignited work chambers are ignored under substantially ideal conditions (thermodynamic or otherwise). For example, the mass air load introduced into the work chambers for each of the cylinder ignitions can be defined in the mass air load that provides substantially the highest thermodynamic efficiency in the current operating state of the engine (eg speed engine, environmental conditions, etc.). The control approach described works very well when used in conjunction with this type of optimized intermittent ignition engine operation. However, this is by no means a requirement. Preferably, the described control approach works very well regardless of the conditions under which the working chambers are ignored.
[0131] As explained in some of the referenced patents and patent applications, the described ignition control unit can be deployed within an engine control unit, as a separate ignition control coprocessor or in any other suitable manner. In many applications, it will be desirable to provide intermittent ignition control as an additional mode of operation for conventional engine operation (ie, all cylinder ignition). This allows the engine to be operated in a conventional manner when conditions are not well suited for intermittent ignition operation. For example, conventional operation may be preferred in certain
61/63 motor states such as motor start, low motor speeds, etc.
[0132] In some of the modalities, it is considered that all cylinders would be available for use in the management of the ignition fraction. However, this is not a requirement. If desired for a particular application, the ignition control unit can readily be designed to always interrupt a designated cylinder when the required displacement is below a designated limit. In still other deployments, any of the duty cycle interruption approaches described could be applied to traditional variable displacement engines while operating in a mode in which some of their cylinders have been shut down.
[0133] The intermittent ignition control described can readily be used with a variety of other performance enhancement and / or fuel economy techniques, which include poor firing techniques, fuel injection profiling techniques, turbocharging, supercharging, etc. . Most of the ignition controller modes described above use sigma delta conversion. Although deltasigma converters are believed to be very well suited for use in this application, it should be noted that converters can employ a wide variety of modulation schemes. For example, pulse width modulation, pulse height modulation, CDMA-oriented modulation or other modulation schemes can be used to deliver the positive ignition fraction. Some of the described modalities use first order converters. However, in other
62/63 modes, higher order converters can be used.
[0134] Most conventional variable displacement piston engines are designed to disable unused cylinders by keeping the valves closed throughout the duty cycle in an attempt to minimize the negative effects of pumping air through unused cylinders. . The described modalities work well on engines that have the ability to deactivate or disconnect interrupted cylinders in a similar way. Although this approach works well, the piston still alternates inside the cylinder. The alternation of the piston inside the cylinder introduces friction losses and, in practice, some of the compressed gases inside the cylinder will typically escape from the piston ring, thereby introducing some pumping losses as well. Friction losses due to piston alternation are relatively high in piston engines and, therefore, significant further improvements in overall fuel efficiency can theoretically be achieved by disengaging the pistons during interrupted operating cycles. Over the years, there have been several engine designs that have attempted to reduce friction loss in variable displacement engines by disabling piston alternation. The present inventors are unaware of such projects that have achieved commercial success. However, it is suspected that the limited market for such engines has hindered their development in production engines. Since the fuel efficiency gains associated with piston deactivation that are potentially available for engines that incorporate intermittent ignition and control approaches
63/63 variable displacement described are quite significant, this can make the development of engines with piston deactivation commercially viable.
[0135] In view of the above, it should be evident that the present modalities are to be considered illustrative and not restrictive and the invention is not limited to the details given in the present invention, but can be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

权利要求:
Claims (37)
[1]
1. INTERMITTENT IGNITION ENGINE CONTROLLER, characterized by comprising:
an ignition fraction determination unit arranged to determine an operational ignition fraction and associated engine configurations to deliver a desired engine emission, wherein the ignition fraction determination unit is arranged to select the ignition fraction from a set available ignition fractions, where the set of available ignition fractions varies as a function of engine speed such that more ignition fractions are available at higher engine speeds than at lower engine speeds; and an ignition controller arranged to direct ignitions as an intermittent ignition that delivers the selected operational ignition fraction.
[2]
2. CONTROLLER, according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition controller is arranged to track the portion of an ignition that has been commanded, but not yet directed, thereby assisting in the management of transitions between different ignition fractions.
[3]
CONTROLLER, according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition controller is arranged to diffuse the ignitions while delivering the selected ignition fraction and through changes in the selected ignition fraction.
[4]
CONTROLLER according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition controller includes or functions substantially and equivalently to a converter
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 32/69
2/9 first order delta-sigma.
[5]
5. CONTROLLER according to claim 1, characterized in that the hysteresis is applied by the ignition fraction determination unit in determining the ignition fraction to help reduce the likelihood of rapid swings back and forth between the operational ignition fractions .
[6]
6. CONTROLLER according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjusted ignition fraction determination block is additionally arranged to cause the adjustment of at least one engine control parameter selected sufficiently so that the engine emits the desired emission in the ignition fraction adjusted.
[7]
7. CONTROLLER according to claim 1, characterized in that it additionally comprises an insertion element arranged to occasionally instruct the ignition controller to insert additional ignitions to help facilitate the breaking of a cyclic pattern associated with the selected operational ignition fraction.
[8]
CONTROLLER according to claim 1, characterized in that it additionally comprises an excitation insertion element arranged to add excitation to the selected ignition fraction to help facilitate the breaking of a cyclic pattern associated with the selected operational ignition fraction.
[9]
9. CONTROLLER according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition fraction determination unit emits a positive ignition fraction signal indicative of the selected operational ignition fraction for the ignition controller, in which the ignition engine controller
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 33/69
3/9 intermittent ignition additionally comprises a filter arranged to diffuse changes in the ignition fraction controlled by multiple ignition opportunities.
[10]
10. CONTROLLER, according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition fraction determination unit includes a lookup table that identifies ignition fractions that are suitable for use as the selected ignition fraction and in which an index to the ignition table consultation is at least one selected from the group consisting of requested emission, requested ignition fraction and engine speed.
[11]
11. CONTROLLER, according to claim 10, characterized in that the lookup table is a multidimensional lookup table and a first index for the lookup table is one among the requested emission and requested ignition fraction and a second index for the lookup table it's engine speed.
[12]
CONTROLLER according to claim 10, characterized by an additional index for the lookup table being transmission gear.
[13]
CONTROLLER according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition fraction determination unit is arranged to select an operational ignition fraction that reduces vibrations in a frequency range that substantially matches a frequency range to which occupants of a vehicle are more sensitive.
[14]
14. CONTROLLER, according to claim 1, characterized in that the ignition fraction determination unit is additionally arranged to prevent the use of operational ignition fractions that would generate acoustic noise
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 34/69
4/9 undesirable.
[15]
15. ENGINE, characterized by including an intermittent ignition motor controller, as defined in claim 1.
[16]
16. INTERMITTENT IGNITION ENGINE CONTROLLER, characterized by comprising:
an ignition fraction determination unit arranged to determine a commanded operational ignition fraction;
an ignition controller arranged to direct ignitions as an intermittent ignition that delivers the operational ignition fraction, where the ignition controller is arranged to track a portion of an ignition that has been selected but not yet directed by the ignition controller in order to thereby assisting in the management of transitions between different controlled ignition fractions; and a filter arranged to diffuse changes in the ignition fraction driven by multiple ignition opportunities.
[17]
CONTROLLER, according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter is a low-pass filter.
[18]
18. CONTROLLER according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a filter deviation which allows the filter to be deflected in response to at least one predetermined type of change in fraction of operational spark ignition.
[19]
19. CONTROLLER, according to claim 16, characterized in that the filter is selected from the group consisting of an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter and
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 35/69
5/9 a finite impulse response filter (FIR).
[20]
20. CONTROLLER, according to claim 16, characterized in that a clock used for the filter is a variable clock based on the motor speed.
[21]
21. CONTROLLER, according to claim 16, characterized in that the filter has a response that substantially matches the variations in absolute piping pressure.
[22]
22. CONTROLLER, according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises:
an engine parameter adjustment block arranged to cause the adjustment of at least one engine control parameter selected sufficiently so that the engine emits a desired emission in the commanded ignition fraction, and a second filter that has a response of filter arranged to substantially match a response from at least one selected engine control parameter, wherein the second filter is arranged to cause changes in the spark ignition fraction to match changes in at least one selected engine control parameter.
[23]
23. CONTROLLER, according to claim 16, characterized in that the ignition controller is arranged to diffuse the ignitions while delivering the selected ignition fraction and through changes in the selected ignition fraction.
[24]
24. CONTROLLER according to claim 16, characterized in that the ignition controller is arranged to track the portion of an ignition that has been commanded, but not yet directed, to thereby assist in the
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 36/69
6/9 management of transitions between different ignition fractions.
[25]
25. CONTROLLER according to claim 16, characterized in that the ignition controller includes or functions substantially and equivalent to a first-order delta-sigma converter.
[26]
26. CONTROLLER according to claim 16, characterized in that the hysteresis is applied by the ignition fraction determination unit in determining the ignition fraction to help reduce the likelihood of rapid swings back and forth between the operational ignition fractions .
[27]
27. ENGINE, characterized by including an intermittent ignition motor controller, as defined in claim 16.
[28]
28. INTERMITTENT IGNITION ENGINE CONTROLLER, characterized by comprising:
an ignition fraction determination unit arranged to receive an admission signal indicative of a desired engine emission and to emit a positive ignition fraction arranged to deliver the desired engine emission;
an ignition controller arranged to direct ignitions as an intermittent ignition that delivers the determined ignition fraction, where the ignition controller is arranged to track a portion of an ignition that has been selected but not yet directed by the ignition controller in order to thereby helping to manage the transitions between different controlled ignition fractions;
a power train adjustment block arranged to cause the adjustment of at least one control parameter
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 37/69
7/9 power train selected sufficiently such that the engine emits the desired emission in the positive ignition fraction, and a filter that has a filter response arranged to substantially match a response from at least one train control parameter. selected power, where the filter is arranged to cause changes in the positive ignition fraction to correspond to changes in at least one selected power train control parameter.
[29]
29. METHOD OF DETERMINING AN IGNITION FRACTION FOR USE BY AN INTERMITTENT IGNITION ENGINE CONTROLLER ARRANGEMENT, characterized by directing the engine working chamber ignitions as an intermittent ignition to deliver a desired engine emission:
providing a multiplicity of available ignition fractions that is suitable for use under selected operating conditions where the number of available ignition fractions varies as a function of engine speed; and selecting an operational ignition fraction based at least in part on the desired engine emission and a current engine speed.
[30]
30. METHOD according to claim 29, characterized in that the selection of the operational ignition fraction is also based at least in part on a current operational transmission gear.
[31]
31. METHOD according to claim 29, characterized in that a delta-sigma converter is used to indicate specific working chamber ignitions that are
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 38/69
8/9 appropriate to deliver the determined ignition fraction.
[32]
32. METHOD, according to claim 29, characterized by changes in the operational ignition fraction being diffused by multiple ignition opportunities.
[33]
33. METHOD according to claim 29, characterized in that it additionally occasionally addresses additional individual ignitions in addition to the determined operational ignition fraction to facilitate the interruption of a cyclic pattern associated with the extension of the repetition ignition cycle.
[34]
34. METHOD, according to claim 29, characterized in that it further comprises adding excitation to the fraction of operational ignition to facilitate the interruption of a cyclic pattern associated with the extension of the repetition ignition cycle.
[35]
35. METHOD according to claim 29, characterized in that the ignition fraction is determined based at least in part by reference to a look-up table that identifies the ignition fractions that are suitable for use as the determined ignition fraction and where an index to the lookup table is at least one of the requested emission, requested ignition fraction and engine speed.
[36]
36. METHOD, according to claim 29, characterized in that the lookup table is a multidimensional lookup table and a first index for the lookup table is one among the requested emission and requested ignition fraction and a second index for the lookup table it's engine speed.
Petition 870180133000, of 9/21/2018, p. 39/69
9/9
[37]
37. METHOD, according to claim 29, characterized by the ignition fractions that generate acoustic resonances within a vehicle cabin or associated exhaust system are excluded.

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法律状态:
2018-12-11| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according [chapter 6.6 patent gazette]|

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2019-12-03| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|

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2020-01-07| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 17/10/2012, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |

优先权:

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申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

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US201161548187P| true| 2011-10-17|2011-10-17|

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US61/548,187|2011-10-17|

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US201261640646P| true| 2012-04-30|2012-04-30|

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US61/640,646|2012-04-30|

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PCT/US2012/060641|WO2013059340A1|2011-10-17|2012-10-17|Firing fraction management in skip fire engine control|

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