# US 10,480,447 B2 · System and method for control of volumetric efficiency in a direct injection engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,447 B2 - Document ID: US10480447B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/321,697 - Filed: 2014-06-26 - Published: 2017-06-08 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-26 - Assignees: Cummins Inc. - Applicants: Cummins Inc. - Inventors: Anthony Kyle Perfetto; Samuel C. Geckler; David Stroh; Carlos A. Lana - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480447B2 ## CPC - F02D 41/401: {Controlling injection timing (F02D41/402 takes precedence)} - F02D 21/08: the other gas being the exhaust gas of engine - F02D 41/0007: {for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12)} - F02D 41/005: {according to engine operating conditions} - F02D 41/0085: {Balancing of cylinder outputs, e.g. speed, torque or air-fuel ratio} - F02D 41/1448: {the characteristics being an exhaust gas pressure} - F02D 41/1497: {With detection of the mechanical response of the engine} - F02M 26/04: with a single turbocharger - F02M 26/05: High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor - F02M 26/43: in which exhaust from only one cylinder or only a group of cylinders is directed to the intake of the engine - F02M 26/47: the characteristics being temperatures, pressures or flow rates - F02D 2041/389: {for injecting directly into the cylinder} - F02D 2200/0406: Intake manifold pressure - F02D 2200/0411: Volumetric efficiency - F02D 2200/1002: Output torque - F02D 2200/101: Engine speed - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system and method of inducing an operational response change in an operating direct-injection internal combustion engine is provided such that the engine includes a cylinder into which liquid fuel injection is directly performed. The method starts by operating the direct-injection engine using a start of injection (SOI) protocol. At some point during operation, it is determined that a change is desired for a first parameter of engine operation that is at least partially a function of a charge provided to the cylinder (such as the torque output). In response an operational response in the engine is induced by altering the SOI protocol via a first SOI alteration that alters the volumetric efficiency of the cylinder and changes the first parameter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of inducing an operational response change in an operating direct-injection internal combustion engine comprising: operating a direct-injection engine according to a default start of injection (SOI) protocol, the engine including a cylinder into which liquid fuel injection is directly performed; determining that a change of a first parameter of engine operation is desired; and inducing an operational response in the engine, responsive to the determination of the desired change, by altering the default SOI protocol via a first SOI alteration that alters a volumetric efficiency of the cylinder to obtain a gain in the volumetric efficiency of the cylinder and changes the first parameter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein altering the default SOI protocol is performed as a transient alteration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the desired change in first parameter is also achievable via alteration of a second engine parameter, wherein the first SOI alteration is introduced to initiate the desired change and the second engine parameter is varied to maintain the desired change when the first SOI alteration is removed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the second engine parameter is an intake air throttle setting. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is a torque produced by the engine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further including altering an injection command such that an injectate is provided to the cylinder, the alteration to the injection command being responsive to the change in the volumetric efficiency due to the first SOI alteration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the injectate is a fuel and the injection command is a fueling command, the fueling command being altered to maintain a stoichiometric relationship with a charge having a changed volumetric efficiency due to the first SOI alteration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is gas flow to a turbine of a turbocharger. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is turbocharger power. ### Claim 10 An injection control system of an internal combustion engine including an injection valve operable to inject fuel directly into a first cylinder and perform one or more injections on an intake or compression stroke, the system comprising: an engine controller operable to determine that a change of a first parameter of engine operation is desired; the controller further operable to generate an operational response in the engine, responsive to the determination of the desired change, by altering a default start of injection (SOI) protocol via a first SOI alteration that alters a volumetric efficiency of the first cylinder to obtain a gain in the volumetric efficiency of the first cylinder and changes the first parameter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the first SOI alteration is performed as a transient alteration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, further including a turbocharger fluidly coupled to the internal combustion engine, wherein the first parameter of engine operation is a turbocharger speed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the engine further includes a second cylinder supplied by a common intake manifold with the first cylinder, the first cylinder experiencing a first exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) fraction and the second cylinder experiencing a second EGR fraction different than the first EGR fraction, wherein the first parameter of the engine operation is the EGR fraction experienced by the first cylinder. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the engine further includes a second cylinder supplied by a common intake manifold with the first cylinder, the first cylinder providing a first torque output and the second cylinder providing a second torque output different than the first torque output, wherein the first parameter of the engine operation is the first torque output provided by the first cylinder.