Control device and control method for internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708997-B2
Application number	US-201415114932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Jan 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control device and a control method for a variable valve timing mechanism that changes a valve timing by adjusting a rotational speed of a motor. The control device detects a phase angle RA 1 based on an output of a crank angle sensor and an output of a cam angle sensor and calculates a change amount ΔRA of a rotational phase based on a difference between a rotation amount of a sprocket and a rotation amount of the motor. The control device stops calculating change amount ΔRA when a failure occurs in a motor rotation angle sensor. When a failure occurs in one of the crank angle sensor or the cam angle sensor, the control device stops calculating phase angle RA 1 and calculates change amount ΔRA using a normal one of the sensors and the motor rotation angle sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device for an internal combustion engine, the control device being to be applied to the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including a variable valve timing mechanism that changes a rotational phase of a cam shaft with respect to a crank shaft by adjusting a rotational speed of a motor, a crank angle sensor that outputs a crank angle signal at a predetermined angle position of the crank shaft, a cam angle sensor that outputs a cam angle signal at a predetermined angle position of the cam shaft, and a motor rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a rotational shaft of the motor, the control device comprising:
an electronic control unit configured to:
obtain a first rotation amount of a cam sprocket of the cam shaft per a predetermined time based on the crank angle signal;
obtain a second rotation amount of the cam sprocket per the predetermined time based on the cam angle signal;
select a larger one of the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount;
detect a change amount of the rotational phase from the larger one of the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount and a rotation amount of the rotational shaft of the motor obtained based on an output of the motor rotation angle sensor; and
control the variable valve timing mechanism based on the detected change amount of the rotational phase.

2. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
detect a first detection value of the rotational phase based on the cam angle signal and the crank angle signal at each output of the cam angle signal;
detect a second detection value of the rotational phase based on an integrated value of the change amount detected using the first detection value as an initial value; and
control the variable valve timing mechanism based on the second detection value.

3. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
stop updating the initial value when an abnormality occurs in one of the crank angle sensor or the cam angle sensor.

4. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
temporarily control the variable valve timing mechanism to a default position when an abnormality in one of the crank angle sensor or the cam angle sensor is detected; and
set the initial value to the default position, instead of the first detection value, after the variable valve timing mechanism has been controlled to the default position.

5. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 4 , wherein
the default position is a position defined by a stopper.

6. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 4 , wherein
the cam shaft is an intake cam shaft, and
the default position is a maximum retarded position.

7. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 2 , wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to stop updating of the second detection value when an abnormality occurs in the motor rotation angle sensor.

8. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to
reduce a gain of control of the variable valve timing mechanism so that the gain is lower than a gain in a normal state when an abnormality occurs in the motor rotation angle sensor.

9. A control method for an internal combustion engine including a variable valve timing mechanism that changes a rotational phase of a cam shaft with respect to a crank shaft by adjusting a rotational speed of a motor, a crank angle sensor that outputs a crank angle signal at a predetermined angle position of the crank shaft, a cam angle sensor that outputs a cam angle signal at a predetermined angle position of the cam shaft, and a motor rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a rotational shaft of the motor, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a first rotation amount of a cam sprocket of the cam shaft per a predetermined time based on the crank angle signal;
obtaining a second rotation amount of the cam sprocket per the predetermined time based on the crank angle signal;
selecting a larger one of the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount;
detecting a change amount of the rotational phase from the larger one of the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount and a rotation amount of the rotational shaft of the motor obtained based on an output of the motor rotation angle sensor; and
controlling the variable valve timing mechanism based on the detected change amount of the rotational phase.

10. The control method for the internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
detecting a first detection value of the rotational phase based on the cam angle signal and the crank angle signal at each output of the cam angle signal;
detecting a second detection value of the rotational phase based on an integrated value of the change amount of the rotational phase using the first detection value as an initial value; and
controlling the variable valve timing mechanism based on the second detection value.

11. The control method for the internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of stopping updating the initial value when an abnormality occurs in one of the crank angle sensor or the cam angle sensor.

12. The control method for the internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
temporarily controlling the variable valve timing mechanism to a default position when an abnormality in one of the crank angle sensor or the cam angle sensor is detected; and
setting the initial value to the default position, instead of the first detection value, after the variable valve timing mechanism has been controlled to the default position.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Mikawa Kentaro
• Okamoto Naoki

Classifications

• F01L2820/042

  Crankshafts position · CPC title

• Y02T10/40

  Engine management systems · CPC title

• F02D41/222 Primary

  relating to the failure of sensors or parameter detection devices · CPC title

• F02D41/009

  using means for generating position or synchronisation signals · CPC title

• F01L1/352

  using bevel or epicyclic gear · CPC title