# US 11,078,860 B2 · Predictive correction in internal combustion engines

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- Number: US 11,078,860 B2
- Document ID: US11078860B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/918,183
- Filed: 2018-03-12
- Published: 2019-09-12
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-11
- Assignees: Wayne State University
- Applicants: Wayne State University
- Inventors: Fadi Adly Anis Estefanous; Shenouda Mekhael; Naeim A. Henein
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078860B2

## CPC

- F02D 41/1498: {measuring engine roughness}
- F02D 13/0215: {changing the valve timing only}
- F02D 35/021: {using an ionic current sensor}
- F02D 41/027: {to purge or regenerate the exhaust gas treating apparatus}
- F02D 41/028: {Desulfurisation of NOx traps or adsorbent}
- F02D 41/402: {Multiple injections}
- F02P 5/152: dependent on pinking (detecting or indicating knocks in internal-combustion engines G01L23/22)
- F02D 2041/001: {for engines with variable valve actuation}
- F02D 2041/1412: {using a predictive controller}
- F02P 5/153: dependent on combustion pressure
- F02P 7/07: Hall-effect pick-up devices
- F02P 2017/125: {Measuring ionisation of combustion gas, e.g. by using ignition circuits}
- 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)
- F02P: IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES ({anti-pollution means for internal-combustion engines F02B17/00}; specially adapted for rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines F02B53/12; {ignition of gas turbine plants F02C7/26; ignition of jet propulsion plants F02K9/95; starting of combustion engines F02N9/00}; ignition of combustion apparatus in general, glowing plugs F23Q; measuring of physical variables in general G01; controlling in general G05; data processing in general G06; electrical components in general see Section H; {ignition coils H01F38/12}; sparking plugs H01T13/00)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method and system for reducing cycle to cycle variation of an engine is provided. The system may determine fuel injection characteristics and predict a gas burning rate or flame speed based on the fuel injection characteristics. The system may adjust an ignition timing in response to the predicted gas burning rate within the same engine cycle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for predicting knock in an engine, the method comprising:
sensing combustion at multiple locations inside a cylinder including:
sensing a first combustion signal on or in a spark plug; and
sensing a second combustion signal on or in a fuel injector;
comparing a timing of the first combustion signal to a timing of the second combustion signal; and
adjusting engine operating parameters by dividing fuel injection into two or more intervals in response to the comparison of the timing of the first combustion signal to the timing of the second combustion signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a first peak and a second peak of the first combustion signal at different cycles, and at least one peak of the second combustion signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein comparing the timing of the first combustion signal to the timing of the second combustion signal includes comparing a location of at least one of the first peak and the second peak of the first combustion signal with a location of the at least one peak of the second combustion signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein a knock correction is implemented when the second peak of the first combustion signal is shifted until after the at least one peak of the second combustion signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensing the second combustion signal is done via an ionization probe positioned on the fuel injector.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
filtering and processing the second combustion signal, via a signal conditioning module, by detecting a change in voltage across a resistor connected to an ionization probe in a circuit, the ionization probe measuring the second combustion signal; and
recording, via a data acquisition module, changes in current from the ionization probe.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing, via a data acquisition module, information about a present engine timing based on a crank angle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the crank angle is measured by a shaft encoder attached to the cylinder.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting, via a hall-effect sensor of the fuel injector, a rate of fuel delivery by detecting changes in impedance in a circuit, in which a resistor is connected in series to an ionization probe measuring the second combustion signal, when an energizing signal to open a needle of the fuel injector passes through an injector coil.