System And Method For Operation Of An Internal Combustion Engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016237929-A1
Application number	US-201415027035-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 4, 2014
Priority date	Oct 4, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A controller for an internal combustion engine may comprise a first assignment unit, an observer, a calibration unit, and a second assignment unit. The first assignment unit may determine cylinder-specific measurement signals as a function of the measurement signal from a lambda probe. The observer may include a sensor model of the lambda probe arranged in a feedback branch of the observer. The calibration unit may impress a predefined interference pattern made of cylinder-specific mixture differences and adapt, in reaction to the respectively predefined interference pattern as a function of the observer output variables related to the respective cylinders, an assignment rule between the measurement signal of the lambda probe and a lambda signal. The second assignment unit may carry out, by means of the assignment rule, an assignment between the measurement signal and the lambda signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device for operating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, each of which is assigned a respective injection valve, an exhaust gas section comprising an exhaust gas catalytic converter, and a lambda probe arranged upstream of or in the exhaust gas catalytic converter and generating a measurement signal, the device comprising:
a first assignment unit to determine cylinder-specific measurement signals as a function of the measurement signal, an observer comprising a sensor model of the lambda probe, the sensor model arranged in a feedback branch of the observer, wherein the cylinder-specific measurement signals are fed to the observer on an input side, and observer output variables related to the respective cylinders are available on the output side, a calibration unit operable:
to impress a predefined interference pattern made of cylinder-specific mixture differences, and
to adapt, in reaction to the respectively predefined interference pattern as a function of the observer output variables related to the respective cylinders, an assignment rule between the measurement signal of the lambda probe and a lambda signal,
a second assignment unit to carry out, by means of the assignment rule, an assignment between the measurement signal and the lambda signal.

2 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the respectively predefined interference pattern is emission-neutral.

3 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the respectively predefined interference pattern (PAT) is predefined in such a way that a different air/fuel ratio is applied to at least two cylinders.

4 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the respectively predefined interference pattern (PAT) is predefined in such a way that a different air/fuel ratio is applied to all the assigned cylinders.

5 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the assignment rule is adapted section-wise.

6 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the lambda probe comprises a binary lambda probe, and further comprising a controller unit with a lambda controller is assigned to the plurality of cylinders and a control input variable depends on the lambda signal, and a controller actuation signal influences a fuel mass to be metered.

7 . The device as claimed in claim 6 ,
wherein a control input variable depends on a control difference is formed as a function of the lambda signal and a predefined setpoint signal.

8 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising
a controller unit with respective cylinder-specific lambda controllers contributing to equalization of an air/fuel ratio in the respective cylinders.

9 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the calibration unit is activated if equalization of the respective air/fuel ratios has taken place in the different cylinders.

10 . An internal combustion engine comprising:
a plurality of cylinders; a respective injection valve metering fuel into each of the plurality of cylinders; an exhaust gas catalytic converter, a lambda probe arranged upstream of or in the exhaust gas catalytic converter generating a measurement signal, a first assignment unit to determine cylinder-specific measurement signals as a function of the measurement signal, an observer comprising a sensor model of the lambda probe, the sensor model arranged in a feedback branch of the observer, wherein the cylinder-specific measurement signals are fed to the observer on an input side, and observer output variables related to the respective cylinders are available on the output side, a calibration unit operable:
to impress a predefined interference pattern made of cylinder-specific mixture differences, and
to adapt, in reaction to the respectively predefined interference pattern as a function of the observer output variables related to the respective cylinders, an assignment rule between the measurement signal of the lambda probe and a lambda signal,
a second assignment unit to carry out, by means of the assignment rule, an assignment between the measurement signal and the lambda signal.

11 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the respectively predefined interference pattern is emission-neutral.

12 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the respectively predefined interference pattern (PAT) is predefined in such a way that a different air/fuel ratio is applied to at least two cylinders.

13 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the respectively predefined interference pattern (PAT) is predefined in such a way that a different air/fuel ratio is applied to all the assigned cylinders.

14 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the assignment rule is adapted section-wise.

15 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:
the lambda probe comprises a binary lambda probe, and further comprising a controller unit with a lambda controller is assigned to the plurality of cylinders and a control input variable depends on the lambda signal, and a controller actuation signal influences a fuel mass to be metered.

16 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a control input variable depends on a control difference is formed as a function of the lambda signal and a predefined setpoint signal.

17 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising a controller unit with respective cylinder-specific lambda controllers contributing to equalization of an air/fuel ratio in the respective cylinders.

18 . The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the calibration unit is activated if equalization of the respective air/fuel ratios has taken place in the different cylinders.

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Eser Gerhard
• Schlegel Sirko
• Dinka-Honnappa Sushman

Classifications

• F01N2560/02

  the means being an exhaust gas sensor · CPC title

• F01N11/007

  the diagnostic devices measuring oxygen or air concentration downstream of the exhaust apparatus · CPC title

• F01N2570/145

  Dinitrogen oxide · CPC title

• F01N3/20

  specially adapted for catalytic conversion (F01N3/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02D41/0085 Primary

  Balancing of cylinder outputs, e.g. speed, torque or air-fuel ratio · CPC title