US 11,680,498 B2 · Method for operating an electromechanical camshaft phaser

Abstract

An electromechanical camshaft phaser (3) comprises a setting gear (4) and an electric motor (5), which is controlled by means of an electric-motor control unit (6). Data concerning the operation of the electric motor (5) including position changes of its motor shaft are transferred via a data bus (8) from the electric-motor control unit (6) to an engine control unit (7) of the internal combustion engine (1) comprising the camshaft phaser (3). In addition, recurring time signals are transferred from the electric-motor control unit (6) to the engine control unit (7) via a separate line (9), by which harder real-time requirements are met than by the data bus (8). The time signals are used to generate a time difference signal in the engine control unit (7) by comparison with the data received by the engine control unit (7), which time difference signal is fed back to the electric-motor control unit (6) via the data bus (8) and is used there to synchronize the electric-motor control unit (6) with the engine control unit (7).

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for operating an electromechanical camshaft phaser including a setting gear and an electric motor provided for actuating the setting gear, the electric motor controlled via an electric-motor control unit, the method comprising:

recording data relating to operation of the electric motor in the electric-motor control unit, the data including position changes of a motor shaft of the electric motor;
transmitting the data via a data bus from the electric-motor control unit to an engine control unit of an internal combustion engine which comprises the camshaft phaser;
transmitting recurring time signals from the electric-motor control unit to the engine control unit via a separate line;
generating a time difference signal in the engine control unit based on a comparison of the data to the recurring time signals transmitted to the engine control unit;
transmitting the time difference signal from the engine control unit to the electric-motor control unit via the data bus;
synchronizing the electric-motor control unit with the engine control unit based on the time difference signal transmitted to the electric-motor control unit;
and
controlling the internal combustion engine via the synchronized electric-motor control unit and engine control unit.

5 more elements

A device for controlling an internal combustion engine including at least one electromechanical camshaft phaser comprising a setting gear and an electric motor provided for actuating the setting gear, the device comprising:

an engine control unit configured to control the internal combustion engine;
and
an electric-motor control unit configured to control the electric motor, the engine control unit and the electric-motor control unit being programmed to:
record data relating to operation of the electric motor in the electric-motor control unit, the data including position changes of a motor shaft of the electric motor;
transmit the data via a data bus from the electric-motor control unit to the engine control unit;
transmit recurring time signals from the electric-motor control unit to the engine control unit via a separate line;
generate a time difference signal in the engine control unit based on a comparison of the data to the recurring time signals transmitted to the engine control unit;
transmit the time difference signal from the engine control unit to the electric-motor control unit via the data bus;
synchronize the electric-motor control unit with the engine control unit based on the time difference signal transmitted to the electric-motor control unit;
and
control the internal combustion engine via the synchronized electric-motor control unit and engine control unit.

8 more elements

A method for operating an electromechanical camshaft phaser including a setting gear and an electric motor provided for actuating the setting gear, the electric motor being controlled by via an electric-motor control unit, the method comprising:

recording data relating to operation of the electric motor in the electric-motor control unit, the data including position changes of a motor shaft of the electric motor;
transmitting the data via a data bus from the electric-motor control unit to an engine control unit of an internal combustion engine which comprises the camshaft phaser;
transmitting recurring time signals from the electric-motor control unit to the engine control unit via a separate line;
generating a time difference signal in the engine control unit based on a comparison of the data to the recurring time signals transmitted to the engine control unit;
transmitting the time difference signal from the engine control unit to the electric-motor control unit via the data bus;
synchronizing the electric-motor control unit with the engine control unit based on the time difference signal transmitted to the electric-motor control unit;
and
controlling the internal combustion engine via the synchronized electric-motor control unit and engine control unit,
wherein a volume of data transmitted via the separate line is less than a volume of data transmitted via the data bus.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for operating an electromechanical camshaft phaser

Life of this patent

Method for operating an electromechanical camshaft phaser

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15