IP Library Granted Patent US 7,930,092
Granted Patent B2
US 7,930,092 · App. 12/200,683 · Granted Apr 19, 2011

Control apparatus for internal combustion engine

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,930,092
App. No.
12/200,683
Granted
Apr 19, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, includes: a fuel injection unit; an ignition unit; a crank angle detection unit; a fuel pump; a booster unit; an ignition discharge unit; and a control unit that controls the fuel injection unit, the ignition unit, and the fuel pump, that ascertains ignition timings based on crank signals output from the crank angle detection unit, and that performs a startup control sequence that is made up of fuel injection processing, voltage boosting processing, ignition processing, and fuel supply processing.

Claims (53)

1. A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a fuel injection unit provided in the internal combustion engine;

an ignition unit provided in the internal combustion engine;

a crank angle detection unit that is provided in the internal combustion engine, and that outputs a crank signal each time a crankshaft rotates by a predetermined angle;

a fuel pump used to supply fuel to the fuel injection unit;

a booster unit that boosts a power supply voltage;

an ignition discharge unit that charges an ignition condenser using the boosted power supply voltage, and discharges power with which the ignition condenser has been charged to the ignition unit at the ignition timings; and

a control unit structured to control the fuel injection unit, the ignition unit, and the fuel pump, to ascertain ignition timings based on the crank signals output from the crank angle detection unit, and to perform a startup control sequence that comprising:

fuel injection processing in which the fuel injection unit is driven so as to perform the initial fuel injection;

voltage boosting processing in which, after the fuel injection processing, the booster unit is controlled so as to boost the power supply voltage;

ignition processing in which, after the voltage boosting processing, the ignition discharge unit is controlled so as to discharge to the ignition unit the power with which the ignition condenser has been charged when the ignition timings arrive; and

fuel supply processing in which, after the ignition processing, the fuel pump is driven so as to supply fuel to the fuel injection unit.

2. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein

after the fuel injection processing, the control unit determines based on the crank signals whether or not a period between the crank signal from the previous crank signal detection and the crank signal from the current crank signal detection is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and when the period between the crank signals is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the control unit performs the voltage boosting processing.

3. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a power supply voltage measuring unit that measures the power supply voltage, wherein

after the ignition processing, the control unit determines whether or not the power supply voltage is equal to or greater than a fuel pump drive permitting voltage, and when the power supply voltage is equal to or greater than the fuel pump drive permitting voltage, the control unit performs the fuel supply processing.

4. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein

after the control unit has been activated, the control unit performs battery existence determination processing to determine whether a battery that supplies the power supply voltage is present, and when the control unit determined that no battery is present, the control unit executes the startup control sequence.

5. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a power supply voltage measuring unit that measures the power supply voltage, wherein

in the battery existence determination processing, when the control unit determines that the power supply voltage at activation is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control unit determines that no battery is present.

6. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 4 , wherein

in the battery existence determination processing, when the crank signal is input within a predetermined time after activation, the control unit determines that no battery is present.

7. A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a fuel injection unit provided in the internal combustion engine;

an ignition unit provided in the internal combustion engine;

a crank angle detection unit that is provided in the internal combustion engine, and that outputs a crank signal each time a crankshaft rotates by a predetermined angle;

a fuel pump used to supply fuel to the fuel injection unit;

a booster unit that boosts a power supply voltage;

an ignition discharge unit that charges an ignition condenser using the boosted power supply voltage, and discharges power with which the ignition condenser has been charged to the ignition unit at the ignition timings;

a power supply voltage measuring unit that measures the power supply voltage;

a control unit structured to control the fuel injection unit, the ignition unit, and the fuel pump, to ascertain ignition timings based on the crank signals output from the crank angle detection unit, and to perform a startup control sequence comprising:

fuel injection processing in which the fuel injection unit is driven so as to perform the initial fuel injection;

voltage boosting processing in which, after the fuel injection processing, the booster unit is controlled so as to boost the power supply voltage; and

fuel supply processing in which, after the voltage boosting processing, when the power supply voltage is equal to or greater than the fuel pump drive permitting voltage, the fuel pump is driven so as to supply fuel to the fuel injection unit.

8. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 7 , wherein

after the fuel injection processing, the control unit determines based on the crank signals whether or not a period between the crank signal from the previous crank signal detection and the crank signal from the current crank signal detection is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and when the period between the crank signals is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the control unit performs the voltage boosting processing, wherein

when the period between the crank signals is greater than the predetermined value, the control unit does not perform the voltage boosting processing, and wherein,

when the power supply voltage is equal to or greater than the fuel pump drive permitting voltage, the control unit performs the fuel supply processing.

9. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 7 , wherein

after the fuel supply processing, when the ignition timing arrives, the control unit determines whether or not the voltage boosting processing has been executed, and when the voltage boosting processing has been executed, the control unit controls the ignition discharge unit so as to discharge to the ignition unit the power with which the ignition condenser has been charged.

10. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , wherein

when the power supply voltage is greater than the fuel pump drive permitting voltage, the control unit omits the fuel supply processing, and when the ignition timing arrives, the control unit determines whether or not the voltage boosting processing has been executed, and when the voltage boosting processing has been executed, the control unit performs the ignition processing.

11. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein

after the ignition processing, the control unit determines whether or not the fuel supply processing has been executed, and when the fuel supply processing has not been executed, and when the power supply voltage is equal to or greater than the fuel pump drive permitting voltage, the control unit performs the fuel supply processing.

12. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 7 , wherein

after the control unit has been activated, the control unit performs battery existence determination processing to determine whether a battery that supplies the power supply voltage is present, and if the control unit determined that no battery is present, the control unit executes the startup control sequence.

13. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a power supply voltage measuring unit that measures the power supply voltage, wherein

in the battery existence determination processing, when the control unit determines that the power supply voltage at activation is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control unit determines that no battery is present.

14. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 12 , wherein

in the battery existence determination processing, when the crank signal is input within a predetermined time after activation, the control unit determines that no battery is present.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: KEIHIN CORPORATION
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058951/0325 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2008
From: TOKUGAWA, KAZUHITO; ISHIKAWA, SHINICHI; SHIMOKAWA, TOMOO; WACHI, KATSUAKI; CHIDA, SATOSHI; UTSUMI, HIROYUKI; AOKI, TAKAYUKI
To: KEIHIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021471/0969 →