IP Library Granted Patent US 10,508,608
Granted Patent B2
US 10,508,608 · App. 15/313,995 · Granted Dec 17, 2019

Control device for engine

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,508,608
App. No.
15/313,995
Granted
Dec 17, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to detect deterioration of dead time characteristics of an air-fuel ratio sensor with high accuracy without causing running performance and exhaust performance to worsen. The present invention provides a control device for an engine, characterized by being equipped with: a means for detecting an air-fuel ratio; a means for changing the air-fuel ratio in a predetermined cycle; and a means for sending a notification of an abnormality in the air-fuel ratio detection means or causing at least a portion of the engine control to run in a fail-safe mode when the amplitude of an output signal of the air-fuel ratio detection means at a predetermined frequency is within a predetermined range and the required time or required angle to arrive at a predetermined value of the output signal of the air-fuel ratio detection means from a reference position or reference time point of an engine-related parameter is equal to a predetermined value or higher.

Claims (15)

1. A control device for an engine, wherein the engine includes a fuel injector and an air-fuel ratio sensor that detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust in an engine exhaust pipe, the control device comprising:

a drive circuit that outputs a drive signal to the fuel injector; and

an input circuit that inputs an output signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor,

wherein the control device is configured to provide notification of an abnormality in the air-fuel ratio sensor or cause at least a portion of engine control to run in a fail-safe mode, and change the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust in the engine exhaust pipe, when an amplitude of the output signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor at a predetermined frequency while the air fuel ratio is changed is equal to or more than a predetermined amplitude value, and a required time or a required angle to arrive at a predetermined value of the output signal from a reference time point or a reference position of a parameter related to a phase of the engine is equal to or more than a predetermined time or angle value, and

wherein the control device is further configured to oscillate the air-fuel ratio at a frequency equal to or more than a predetermined oscillation frequency, and oscillate the output signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor in a two-rotation cycle of the engine by shifting only a fuel injection quantity correction value of one cylinder by a predetermined amount from air-fuel ratios of the other cylinders.

2. The control device for the engine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the predetermined frequency is a frequency equal to or more than a cutoff frequency in frequency characteristics of the air-fuel ratio sensor.

3. The control device for the engine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the reference time point or the reference position of the parameter related to the phase of the engine is a predetermined crank angle or a fuel injection quantity change time point of the engine.

4. The control device for the engine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the predetermined value of the output signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor is a maximum value or a minimum value per a cycle of an oscillation waveform of the output signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor.

5. The control device for the engine according to claim 1 , and further comprising:

a Fourier transform unit that performs a Fourier transform on the output signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor;

an amplitude calculation unit that obtains the amplitude from a power spectrum obtained through the Fourier transform; and

a required time or angle calculation unit that obtains the required time or the required angle to arrive at the predetermined value of the output signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056299/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2016
From: NAKAGAWA, SHINJI; HORI, TOSHIO; NUMATA, AKIHITO
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 040426/0829 →