Granted Patent B1

US 7,325,446 · App. 11/428,010 · Granted Feb 5, 2008

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A rough road detection system for an engine having a crankshaft, comprising:

a control module that receives a crankshaft speed signal, that determines a crankshaft rotation time based on said crankshaft speed signal, that determines a crankshaft acceleration and a crankshaft jerk based on said crankshaft rotation time, that detects a crankshaft disturbance based on said crankshaft acceleration and said crankshaft jerk, and that counts a number of crankshaft disturbances; and

a comparison module that communicates with said control module, that determines a dispersion value and an asymmetry value based on said crankshaft disturbances, and that determines whether rough road conditions exist based on first and second comparisons,

wherein said first comparison is between said dispersion value and a first predetermined threshold value, and

wherein said second comparison is between said asymmetry value and a second predetermined threshold value.

2. The rough road detection system of claim 1 wherein said rough road conditions exist when said dispersion value exceeds said first threshold value and when said asymmetry value is less than said second threshold value.

3. The rough road detection system of claim 1 wherein said control module categorizes said crankshaft disturbances according to at least one of first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth predetermined categories,

wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth predetermined categories are based on a crankshaft acceleration and a crankshaft jerk.

4. The rough road detection system of claim 1 wherein:

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said first category when said crankshaft acceleration and said crankshaft jerk are positive and said crankshaft acceleration is less than said crankshaft jerk,

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said second category when said crankshaft acceleration and said crankshaft jerk are positive and said crankshaft acceleration exceeds said crankshaft jerk,

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said third category when said crankshaft acceleration is positive, said crankshaft jerk is negative and said crankshaft acceleration exceeds the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk,

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said fourth category when said crankshaft acceleration is positive, said crankshaft jerk is negative and said crankshaft acceleration is less than the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk,

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said fifth category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is negative and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration is less than the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk,

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said sixth category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is negative and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration exceeds the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk,

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said seventh category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is positive and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration exceeds the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk, and

said crankshaft disturbances are categorized in said eighth category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is positive and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration is less than the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk.

5. A system comprising the rough road detection system of claim 1 and further comprising a cylinder misfire detection system having a misfire detection module that communicates with said control module and said comparison module and that detects a cylinder misfire event based on said crankshaft disturbances.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said cylinder misfire module disregards said crankshaft disturbances from a predetermined number of engine cycles when said rough road conditions exist.

7. The rough road detection system of claim 1 further comprising a filter module that removes transients in said crankshaft rotation time.

8. The rough road detection system of claim 7 wherein said filter module removes periodic crank disturbances based on a predetermined approximation calculation.

9. The rough road detection system of claim 8 wherein said predetermined approximation calculation is based on a Fourier series.

10. A method for detecting a rough road, comprising:

receiving a crankshaft speed signal;

determining a crankshaft rotation time based on said crankshaft speed signal;

determining a crankshaft acceleration and a crankshaft jerk based on said crankshaft rotation time;

detecting a crankshaft disturbance based on said crankshaft acceleration and said crankshaft jerk;

counting a number of crankshaft disturbances;

determining a dispersion value and a asymmetry value based on said crankshaft disturbances;

determining whether rough road conditions exist based on first and second comparisons, wherein said first comparison is between said dispersion value and a first predetermined threshold value and wherein said second comparison is between said asymmetry value and a second predetermined threshold value; and

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances according to predetermined categories, wherein said predetermined categories are based on a crankshaft acceleration and a crankshaft jerk.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said rough road conditions exist when said dispersion value exceeds said first threshold value and when said asymmetry value is less than said second threshold value.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said categorizing said crankshaft disturbances is according to at least one of first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth predetermined categories, wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth predetermined categories are based on said crankshaft acceleration and said crankshaft jerk.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said first category when said crankshaft acceleration and said crankshaft jerk are positive and said crankshaft acceleration is less than said crankshaft jerk;

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said second category when said crankshaft acceleration and said crankshaft jerk are positive and said crankshaft acceleration exceeds said crankshaft jerk;

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said third category when said crankshaft acceleration is positive, said crankshaft jerk is negative and said crankshaft acceleration exceeds the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk;

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said fourth category when said crankshaft acceleration is positive, said crankshaft jerk is negative and said crankshaft acceleration is less than the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk;

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said fifth category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is negative and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration is less than the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk;

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said sixth category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is negative and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration exceeds the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk;

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said seventh category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is positive and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration exceeds the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk; and

categorizing said crankshaft disturbances in said eighth category when said crankshaft acceleration is negative, said crankshaft jerk is positive and the absolute value of said crankshaft acceleration is less than the absolute value of said crankshaft jerk.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising detecting a cylinder misfire event based on said crankshaft disturbances.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising disregarding said crankshaft disturbances for a predetermined set of engine cycles when said rough road conditions exist.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising removing transients from said crankshaft rotation time.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising removing periodic crank disturbances based on a predetermined approximation calculation.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said predetermined calculation is based on a Fourier series.

Assignments (12)