Method and code for determining event-based control delay of hydraulically-deactivatable valve train component

1. A method for controlling a multi-displacement system for an internal combustion engine, wherein the multi-displacement system includes a solenoid in hydraulic communication with a hydraulically-deactivatable valve train component, the solenoid being triggered using an event-based timer correlated with changes in a crankshaft position as detected by a crankshaft sensor, the method comprising:

when operating the engine in a full-displacement mode at a first engine speed and a first engine oil temperature, retrieving a first value from a plurality of calibratable values representative of a time-based hydraulic deactivation delay based on the first engine speed and the first oil temperature;

determining a first time period between current changes in crankshaft position;

dividing the first value by the first time period to obtain an event-based hydraulic deactivation delay; and

triggering the solenoid to move from a closed position to an open position based on the hydraulic deactivation delay.

2. The method of claim 1 , including detecting the first oil temperature with an oil temperature sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including determining the first oil temperature based on a detected temperature of an engine coolant.

4. A method for determining an event-based hydraulic control delay in a multi-displacement system for an internal combustion engine, wherein the multi-displacement system includes a solenoid in hydraulic communication with a hydraulically-deactivatable valve train component, the solenoid being triggered using an event-based timer correlated with changes in a crankshaft position as detected by a crankshaft sensor, the method comprising:

retrieving a first value from a plurality of calibratable values representative of a time-based hydraulic delay based on a current engine speed and a current oil temperature;

determining a first time period between changes in crankshaft position; and

dividing the first value by the first time period.

5. The method of claim 4 , including detecting the current oil temperature with an oil temperature sensor.

6. The method of claim 4 , further including determining the current oil temperature based on a detected temperature of an engine coolant.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the crankshaft sensor generates a position pulse train upon rotation of the crankshaft, and wherein determining the first time period includes measuring a time lapse between position pulses.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first value represents a hydraulic deactivation delay, and further including triggering the solenoid to move from a closed position to an open position based on the hydraulic deactivation delay.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first value represents a hydraulic reactivation delay, and further including triggering the solenoid to move from an open position to a closed position based on the hydraulic reactivation delay.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the crankshaft sensor generates a position pulse train upon rotation of the crankshaft, and wherein determining the first time period includes measuring a time lapse between position pulses.

11. The method of claim 4 , further including:

when operating the engine in a cylinder-deactivation mode at a second engine speed and a second engine oil temperature, retrieving a second value from a plurality of calibratable values representative of a time-based hydraulic reactivation delay based on the second engine seed and the second oil temperature,

determining a second time period between current changes in crankshaft position;

dividing the second value by the second time period to obtain an event-based hydraulic reactivation delay; and

triggering the solenoid to move from the open position to the closed position based on the hydraulic reactivation delay.

12. A computer-readable storage medium including computer executable code for determining an event-based hydraulic control delay in a multi-displacement system for an internal combustion engine, wherein the multi-displacement system includes a solenoid in hydraulic communication with a hydraulically-deactivatable valve train component, the solenoid being triggered using an event-based timer correlated with changes in a crankshaft position as detected by a crankshaft sensor, the method comprising:

code for retrieving, from a lookup table, a first value from a plurality of calibratable values representative of a time-based hydraulic delay based on a current engine speed and a current oil temperature;

code for determining a first time period between changes in crankshaft position; and

code for dividing the first value by the first time period.

13. The storage medium of claim 12 , including code for determining the current oil temperature based upon an output of one of the group consisting of an oil temperature sensor and an engine coolant sensor.

14. The storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the code for determining the first time period includes code for measuring a time lapse between crankshaft position pulses.

15. The storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the first value represents a hydraulic deactivation delay, and further including code for triggering the solenoid to move from a closed position to an open position based on the hydraulic deactivation delay.

16. The storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the first value represents a hydraulic reactivation delay, and further including code for triggering the solenoid to move from an open position to a closed position based on the hydraulic reactivation delay.