IP Library Granted Patent US 7,900,606
Granted Patent B2
US 7,900,606 · App. 12/390,720 · Granted Mar 8, 2011

Systems and methods for purging air of a fuel injection system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,900,606
App. No.
12/390,720
Granted
Mar 8, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for a vehicle includes an initialization module and a purge control module. The initialization module generates an initialization signal based on a crankshaft speed signal and/or a fuel rail pressure signal. The initialization module also generates the initialization signal based on an initial purge value and an assembly-line monitoring value. The purge control module generates a purge signal to purge air from a fuel injection system of an engine. The purge signal is generated when the crankshaft speed signal indicates that a crankshaft of the engine is stationary and/or the fuel rail pressure signal indicates that a fuel rail pressure is less than a predetermined value. The purge signal is also generated based on the initialization signal.

Claims (35)

1. A system comprising:

an initialization module that generates an initialization signal based on a crankshaft speed signal and at least one of an initial purge value and an assembly-line monitoring value; and

a purge control module that generates a purge signal to purge air from a fuel injection system of an engine when the crankshaft speed signal indicates that a crankshaft of the engine is stationary and based on the initialization signal.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising memory that stores the initial purge value and the assembly-line monitoring value,

wherein the initial purge value indicates whether the fuel injection system has been primed and fuel injectors of the fuel injection system have been purged, and

wherein the assembly-line monitoring value indicates whether a fuel system prime is being performed.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a fuel pump module that activates a first pump based on the purge signal.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a fuel injection control module that selectively activates M of N fuel injectors of the fuel injection system based on the purge signal, where M is an integer and N is an integer greater than 1.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the fuel injection control module sequentially activates the M of the N fuel injectors.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the fuel injection control module deactivates a first one of the M of the N fuel injectors before activating a second one of the M of the N fuel injectors.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an injection period timer that increments a counter value when purging of the fuel injection system is completed for one of the M fuel injectors,

wherein the purge control module deactivates purging of the fuel injection system when the counter value is greater than or equal to M.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the injection period timer measures a time difference between an initial timestamp and a current timestamp of a purging event of the one of the M fuel injectors, and

wherein the purge control module deactivates purging of the one of the M fuel injectors when an injection period timer value of the injection period timer is greater than a predetermined period.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the purge control module deactivates purging of the fuel injection system when the crankshaft speed signal is greater than zero.

10. A system comprising:

an initialization module that generates an initialization signal based on a fuel rail pressure signal and at least one of an initial purge value and an assembly-line monitoring value; and

a purge control module that generates a purge signal to purge air from a fuel injection system of an engine when the fuel rail pressure signal is less than or equal to a predetermined value and based on the initialization signal.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the purge control module deactivates purging of the fuel injection system when the fuel rail pressure signal exceeds the predetermined value.

12. A method of purging air from a fuel injection system of an engine comprising:

generating an initialization signal based on a crankshaft speed signal, a fuel rail pressure signal, and at least one of an initial purge value and an assembly-line monitoring value;

storing the initial purge value and the assembly-line monitoring value in memory; and

generating a purge signal when the crankshaft speed signal is equal to zero and the fuel rail pressure signal is less than a predetermined value and based on the initialization signal.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the purge signal is generated based on a boosting control signal, and

wherein the boosting control signal is generated based on a charged state of a fuel injector driver.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

sequentially activating M of N fuel injectors of the fuel injection system based on the purge signal, where M is an integer and N is an integer greater than 1; and then

deactivating the M of the N fuel injectors based on the fuel rail pressure signal and the crankshaft speed signal.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

storing an initial timestamp and a current timestamp corresponding to an injection period timer for each of M of the N injectors;

measuring a time difference between the initial timestamp and the current timestamp for the M of the N fuel injectors; and

deactivating the M of the N fuel injectors when an injection period timer value of the injection period timer exceeds a predetermined period.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

incrementing a counter value for the M of the N fuel injectors; and

deactivating the M of the N fuel injectors when the counter value is greater than M.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034185/0789 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0245 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0515 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0091 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025246/0056 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0048 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023201/0118 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2009
From: LUCIDO, MICHAEL J.; CARR, MARK D.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022295/0823 →