Method and apparatus for determining operation errors for a high pressure fuel pump
View Patent ↗A control system and method for controlling pump includes a pump control module communicating a drive signal to the high pressure pump and a high pressure pump in communication with the pump control module operating in response to the drive signal. A current sampling module samples a pump current signal to form a sample prior to an end of the drive signal. A current comparison module compares the sample to a threshold that may be a function of pump solenoid resistance, pump solenoid temperature, and/or system voltage, and a fault indication module generates a fault signal in response to comparing.
1. A method of controlling a pump comprising:
communicating a drive signal to the pump;
operating the pump in response to the drive signal;
prior to an end of the drive signal, sampling a pump current signal to form a sample;
comparing the sample to a threshold; and
generating a fault signal in response to comparing.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein after measuring the pump current, ending the drive signal.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the drive signal enables a pulse control signal.
4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the drive signal disables the pulse control signal.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein comparing the sample to a threshold comprises comparing the sample to an upper threshold and a lower threshold and wherein generating the fault signal comprise generating the fault signal when the sample is above the upper threshold or below the lower threshold.
6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the upper threshold and the lower threshold are a function of at least one of pump solenoid resistance, pump solenoid temperature, and system voltage.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating fuel to a fuel rail from the pump.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating fuel to a direct injection engine from the pump, said pump comprising a high pressure pump.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a visual indicator in response to the fault signal.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein sampling a pump current comprises sampling the pump current a predetermined time before the end of the drive signal.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein sampling a pump current comprises sampling the pump current a predetermined time before the end of an enable signal.
12. A system for controlling a pump comprising:
a pump control module communicating a drive signal to the pump;
a high pressure pump in communication with the pump control module operating in response to the drive signal;
a current sampling module sampling a pump current signal to form a sample prior to an end of the drive signal;
a current comparison module comparing the sample to a threshold; and
a fault indication module generating a fault signal in response to comparing.
13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein pump control module ending the drive signal after measuring the pump current.
14. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the drive signal enables a pulse control signal in communication with the high pressure pump.
15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the drive signal disables the pulse control signal.
16. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the comparison module compares the sample to an upper threshold and a lower threshold and wherein the fault indication module generates the fault signal when the sample is above the upper threshold or below the lower threshold.
17. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the upper threshold and the lower threshold are a function of at least one of pump solenoid resistance, pump solenoid temperature, and system voltage.
18. A system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a direct injection engine in fluid communication with the pump, said pump comprising high pressure pump.
19. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the fault indicator module generates a visual warning in response to the fault signal.
20. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the pump comprises a solenoid, said current sampling module sampling the pump current.