Power-based engine speed control

1. A control system, comprising:

an engine speed control module that controls an actual speed of an engine based a desired power to be generated by combustion in the engine, wherein the desired power is a product of a desired speed of the engine and a desired torque output of the engine;

a fuel control module that, when operating in a fuel lead mode, controls fuel flow in the engine by adjusting a desired fuel mass for each activated cylinder of the engine based on the desired power; and

an air control module that controls air flow in the engine based on an actual air/fuel ratio of the engine resulting from the desired fuel mass.

2. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a zero pedal torque module that determines a zero pedal torque desired when a requested acceleration is less than a predetermined acceleration;

a transmission load module that determines a transmission load on the engine based on at least one of an engine speed and a vehicle speed; and

a error correction module that generates an error correction factor based on a difference between the desired speed and a current speed of the engine.

3. The control system of claim 2 , further comprising a power-based torque module that determines a first brake torque based on the zero pedal torque, the transmission load, and the error correction factor, wherein the first brake torque enables the engine to operate at the desired speed.

4. The control system of claim 3 , further comprising a reserve torque module that determines a reserve torque for quickly offsetting decreases in torque output by the engine.

5. The control system of claim 3 , further comprising a speed stabilizing module that generates a stabilized speed by applying a low-pass filter to the desired speed.

6. The control system of claim 3 , further comprising a brake-to-indicated conversion module that determines a first indicated torque based on the first brake torque and at least one of an engine friction, an engine pumping loss, and an engine accessory load.

7. The control system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a torque-to-power conversion module that determines the desired power based on the first indicated torque and the desired speed; and

a power-to-torque conversion module that determines a second indicated torque based on the desired power and the current speed.

8. The control system of claim 7 , further comprising an indicated-to-brake conversion module that determines a second brake torque based on the second indicated torque and at least one of the engine friction, the engine pumping loss, and the engine accessory load.

9. The control system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a propulsion torque arbitration module that generates an arbitrated torque based on the second brake torque and at least one propulsion torque request that is based on parameters other than a driver input; and

a brake-to-indicated conversion module that determines a third indicated torque based on the arbitrated torque and the current speed.

10. The control system of claim 7 , further comprising a fuel mass module that determines the desired fuel mass based on the second indicated torque and a predetermined relationship between torque and fuel.

11. A method, comprising:

controlling an actual speed of an engine based a desired power generated by combustion in the engine, wherein the desired power is a product of a desired speed of the engine and a desired torque output of the engine;

controlling fuel flow in the engine in a fuel lead mode by adjusting a desired fuel mass for a cylinder of the engine based on the desired power; and

controlling air flow in the engine based on an actual air/fuel ratio of the engine resulting from the desired fuel mass.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a zero pedal torque desired when a requested acceleration is less than a predetermined acceleration;

determining a transmission load on the engine based on at least one of an engine speed and a vehicle speed; and

generating an error correction factor based on a difference between the desired speed and a current speed of the engine.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining a first brake torque based on the zero pedal torque, the transmission load, and the error correction factor, wherein the first brake torque enables the engine to operate at the desired speed.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a reserve torque for quickly offsetting decreases in torque output by the engine.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating a stabilized speed by applying a low-pass filter to the desired speed.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a first indicated torque based on the first brake torque and at least one of an engine friction, an engine pumping loss, and an engine accessory load.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining the desired power based on the first indicated torque and the desired speed; and

determining a second indicated torque based on the desired power and the current speed.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining the desired fuel mass based on the second indicated torque and a predetermined relationship between torque and fuel.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining a second brake torque based on the second indicated torque and at least one of the engine friction, the engine pumping loss, and the engine accessory load.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

generating an arbitrated torque based on the second brake torque and at least one propulsion torque request that is based on parameters other than a driver input; and

determining a third indicated torque based on the arbitrated torque and the current speed.