Granted Patent B2

US 7,519,465 · App. 11/940,693 · Granted Apr 14, 2009

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A method of correlating a rotational position of a crankshaft to a rotational position of a camshaft, comprising:

determining a stretch value of a timing connection, which drivingly couples the crankshaft and the camshaft;

calculating a crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value indicative of the rotational position of the crankshaft with respect to the rotational position of the camshaft;

compensating said crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value based on said stretch value to provide a compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value; and

determining whether the rotational position of the crankshaft correlates to the rotational position of the camshaft based on said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value to a threshold value, wherein the rotational position of the crankshaft does not correlate to the rotational position of the camshaft when said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value is greater than said threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring respective rotational positions of the camshaft and another camshaft, wherein said stretch value is determined based on said respective rotational positions of the camshaft and the other camshaft.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing said stretch value to a threshold value; and

indicating that said timing connection is excessively stretched when said stretch value exceeds said threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing said stretch value to a threshold value; and

indicating that the rotational position of the crankshaft does not correlate to the rotational position of the camshaft when said stretch value exceeds said threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising calculating a rotational misalignment value between the crankshaft and the camshaft based on the stretch value, wherein said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value is determined based on said rotational misalignment value.

7. A crankshaft to camshaft correlation system, comprising:

a first module that determines a stretch value of a timing connection, which drivingly couples the crankshaft and the camshaft;

a second module that calculates a crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value indicative of a rotational position of the crankshaft with respect to a rotational position of the camshaft;

a third module that compensates said crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value based on said stretch value to provide a compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value; and

a fourth module that determines whether the rotational position of the crankshaft correlates to the rotational position of the camshaft based on said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value.

8. The crankshaft to camshaft correlation system of claim 7 wherein said fourth module compares said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value to a threshold value, wherein the rotational position of the crankshaft does not correlate to the rotational position of the camshaft when said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value is greater than said threshold value.

9. The crankshaft to camshaft correlation system of claim 7 said first module monitors respective rotational positions of the camshaft and another camshaft and determines said stretch value based on said respective rotational positions of the camshaft and the other camshaft.

10. The crankshaft to camshaft correlation system of claim 6 further comprising:

a sixth module that compares said stretch value to a threshold value; and

a seventh module that indicates that said timing connection is excessively stretched when said stretch value exceeds said threshold value.

11. The crankshaft to camshaft correlation system of claim 6 further comprising:

a sixth module that compares said stretch value to a threshold value; and

a seventh module that indicates that the rotational position of the crankshaft does not correlate to the rotational position of the camshaft when said stretch value exceeds said threshold value.

12. The crankshaft to camshaft correlation system of claim 6 further comprising a sixth module that calculates a rotational misalignment value between the crankshaft and the camshaft based on the stretch value, wherein said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value is determined based on said rotational misalignment value.

13. A method of correlating a rotational position of a crankshaft to rotational positions of first and second camshafts, comprising:

monitoring respective rotational positions of the first and second camshafts;

determining a stretch value of a timing connection, which drivingly couples the crankshaft and the camshaft, based on said respective rotational positions;

calculating a crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value indicative of the rotational position of the crankshaft with respect to the rotational position of one of the first and second camshafts;

compensating said crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value based on said stretch value to provide a compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value; and

determining whether the rotational position of the crankshaft correlates to the rotational position of said one of the first and second camshafts based on said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising comparing said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value to a threshold value, wherein the rotational position of the crankshaft does not correlate to the rotational position of the camshaft when said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value is greater than said threshold value.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

comparing said stretch value to a threshold value; and

indicating that said timing connection is excessively stretched when said stretch value exceeds said threshold value.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

comparing said stretch value to a threshold value; and

indicating that the rotational position of the crankshaft does not correlate to the rotational position of the camshaft when said stretch value exceeds said threshold value.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising calculating a rotational misalignment value between the crankshaft and said one of the first and second camshafts based on the stretch value, wherein said compensated crankshaft to camshaft rotational position value is determined based on said rotational misalignment value.

Assignments (12)