Control unit for adapting the emission of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11085383-B2
Application number	US-201916533990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 8, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A control unit is provided for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine which generates exhaust gases when a fuel is burnt. The vehicle has a multiplicity of emission-relevant functions by which a quantity of emissions in the exhaust gases can be changed. The control unit is configured to determine a planning emission value for a planning time period, wherein the planning emission value indicates the quantity of emissions in the exhaust gases in the planning time period. The control unit is further configured to operate the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions within the planning time period as a function of the planning emission value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine that generates exhaust gases when fuel is burnt, comprising:
a control unit for the vehicle, the control unit being configured to:
determine a reference emission value that indicates a maximum permissible or desired quantity of emissions in the exhaust gases within a planning time period;
determine a plurality of planning emission values for a plurality of successive planning time periods, wherein
the planning emission value indicates a quantity of emissions contained in the exhaust gases in the planning time period;

prioritize a multiplicity of emission-relevant functions;
distribute the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions among the plurality of successive planning time periods based on the respective priorities such that the planning emission value for each of the plurality of planning time periods does not exceed the reference emission value of the respective time period; and
operate the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions within the plurality of successive planning time periods as a function of the planning emission value, wherein
the quantity of emissions contained in the exhaust gases are changeable by the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
determine a raw emission value of the internal combustion engine for the planning time period on the basis of an engine model of the internal combustion engine, wherein
the raw emission value indicates the quantity of emissions in the exhaust gases at an outlet of the internal combustion engine; and

determine the planning emission value from the raw emission value on the basis of a catalytic converter model for a catalytic converter of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is further configured to:
determine parameter values of one or more operating parameters of the internal combustion engine and/or of a catalytic converter of the vehicle for the planning time period; and
determine the planning emission value on the basis of the parameter values of the one or more operating parameters, wherein
the one or more operating parameters comprise:
a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine;
a torque of the internal combustion engine;
a composition of a fuel/air mixture for operation of the internal combustion engine;
a mass flow of the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine; and
a temperature of the internal combustion engine, of the catalytic converter, and/or of the exhaust gases.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is further configured to:
determine the planning emission value on the basis of a standard operating strategy of the vehicle for the planning time period, wherein
the standard operating strategy describes a standard mode of operation of the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions; and

operate one or more of the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions in accordance with the planning emission value, in a way which deviates from the standard operating strategy.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions has a different priority for one planning time period of the plurality of successive planning time periods than another planning time period of the plurality of successive time periods.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in accordance with the planning emission value,
(i) an emission-relevant function is deactivated or activated; and/or
(ii) an operating parameter and/or an operating range of an emission-relevant function is adapted;

such that an actual emission value does not exceed the reference emission value in the planning time period.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
determine navigation data relating to a planned route of the vehicle in the planning time period; and
determine the planning emission value in accordance with the navigation data; and/or
operate an emission-relevant function in accordance with the navigation data within the planning time period.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions comprises one or more of:
(1) one or more basic functions for operating the internal combustion engine;
(2) a function for shifting a load point of the internal combustion engine;
(3) one or more diagnostic functions for checking a component of an exhaust system of the vehicle;
(4) one or more emission functions for adapting an operating parameter of a component of the exhaust system of the vehicle; or
(5) one or more protective functions for protecting a component of the exhaust system of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the one or more basic functions for operating the internal combustion engine are selected from a group comprising:
an overrun cutoff of the internal combustion engine;
scavenging of the internal combustion engine;
an individual cylinder cutoff of the internal combustion engine;
switching the internal combustion engine to lean operation;
overrun burbling of the internal combustion engine;
tank ventilation; and
a torque intervention in the internal combustion engine by a transmission and/or by a secondary consumer.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the function for shifting the load point of the internal combustion engine is carried out via an electric machine of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
one or more diagnostic functions comprise one or more of:
a lambda probe;
a catalytic converter; or
a tank ventilation.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the one or more emission functions for adapting the operating parameter of the component of the exhaust system of the vehicle comprises one or more of:
a heating function for the catalytic converter and/or for the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine;
an active particle filter regeneration;
an adaptation of the formation of the fuel/air mixture;
an adaptation in an air path of the vehicle; or
an adaptation of a trim control.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the one or more protective functions for protecting the component of the exhaust system comprises a heating function and/or an enable function for the lambda probe.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the priority of one emission-relevant function of the multiplicity of emission-relevant functions increases with successive planning time periods of the plurality of successive planning time periods when the one emission-relevant function has not been activated in preceding planning time periods.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is further configured to:
compare a planning emission value of an earlier planning time period with the reference emission value of the earlier planning time period;
based on the comparison, shift an emission-relevant function form the earlier planning time period to a subsequent second planning time period to reduce the planning emission value of the earlier planning time period.

16. An apparatus for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine that generates exhaust gases when fuel is burnt, comprising:
a control unit configured to:
determine whether a first emission-relevant function is operable in a more optimum operating range than a second emissio

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Buerger Johannes
• Mutzel Dagmar
• Salcher Thomas

Classifications

• F02D2200/701

  Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal · CPC title

• F02D2041/1412

  using a predictive controller · CPC title

• F02D2041/1433

  using a model or simulation of the system · CPC title

• F02D41/1453

  the characteristics being a CO content or concentration · CPC title

• F02D41/021 Primary

  Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18) · CPC title