# US 11,905,899 B2 · Smart firing pattern selection for skip fire capable engines

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- Number: US 11,905,899 B2
- Document ID: US11905899B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/412,606
- Filed: 2021-08-26
- Published: 2023-03-02
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2021-08-26
- Assignees: Fca US LLC
- Applicants: Srihari Kalluri; Mark A Shost
- Inventors: Srihari Kalluri; Mark A Shost
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905899B2

## CPC

- F02D 41/0087: {Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation (deceleration cut-off F02D41/123)}
- F02D 41/0215: {in relation with elements of the transmission}
- F02D 41/1401: {characterised by the control or regulation method (F02D41/1473, F02D41/1477 take precedence)}
- F02D 41/2422: {Selective use of one or more tables}
- F02D 13/06: Cutting-out cylinders
- F02D 2041/1433: {using a model or simulation of the system}
- F02D 2200/0406: Intake manifold pressure
- F02D 2200/0408: Estimation of intake manifold pressure
- F02D 2200/70: said parameters being related to the vehicle exterior
- F02D 2200/702: Road conditions
- F02D 2250/21: during a transition between engine operation modes or states
- 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)

## Abstract

A skip fire control system for an engine of a vehicle includes a set of sensors configured to measure a set of operating parameters of the engine corresponding to a volumetric efficiency of the engine, a set of sub-systems having a set of operational states that affect transitions between different firing patterns/fractions of the engine, and a controller configured to, based on the set of operating parameters and the set of operational states of the set of sub-systems, determine a best firing pattern/fraction by taking into account losses or penalties to transition at least some of the set of operational states of the set of sub-systems to obtain a target firing pattern/fraction, and control the engine based on the target firing pattern/fraction to maximize an efficiency of the engine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A skip fire control system for an engine of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a set of sensors configured to measure a set of operating parameters of the engine corresponding to a volumetric efficiency of the engine;
a plurality of sub-systems having a respective plurality of operational states that each affect transitions between a plurality of different firing patterns/fractions of the engine, wherein the plurality of sub-systems comprises a torque converter clutch (TCC) of the engine, a transmission of the engine, and at least one of a camshaft and a valvetrain of the engine; and
a controller configured to:
determine, from the plurality of different firing patterns/fractions of the engine, a first firing pattern/fraction that will cause a lowest relative engine pumping loss, corresponding to a lowest measured manifold absolute pressure (MAP), relative to a remainder of the plurality of different firing patterns/fractions;
determine, for at least the first firing pattern/fraction and a second firing pattern/fraction of the remainder of the plurality of different firing patterns/fractions, a calibration parameter value based on the set of operating parameters and the set of operational states of the plurality of sub-systems, wherein each calibration parameter value is indicative a positive or negative impact to a volumetric efficiency of the engine resulting from switching to an associated firing pattern/fraction;
select the second firing pattern/fraction when its associated calibration parameter value is greater than the calibration parameter value associated with the first firing pattern/fraction to obtain a target firing pattern/fraction, wherein the second firing fraction/pattern is not an intermediary firing fraction/pattern during a transition to the first firing fraction/pattern; and
control the engine based on the target firing pattern/fraction to maximize an efficiency of the engine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-systems further comprises an active noise cancellation (ANC) system of the engine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the second firing pattern/fraction based further on at least one of road conditions and ambient conditions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to utilize a look-up table to determine the second firing pattern/fraction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to utilize a physics-based model to determine the second firing pattern/fraction.

### Claim 6

A skip fire control method for an engine of a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a controller of the vehicle and from a set of sensors, a set of operating parameters of the engine corresponding to a volumetric efficiency of the engine;
controlling, by the controller, a plurality of sub-systems having a respective plurality of operational states that each affect transitions between a plurality of different firing patterns/fractions of the engine, wherein the plurality of sub-systems comprises a torque converter clutch (TCC) of the engine, a transmission of the engine, and at least one of a camshaft and a valvetrain of the engine;
determining, by the controller and from the plurality of different firing patterns/fractions of the engine, a first firing pattern/fraction that will cause a lowest relative engine pumping loss, corresponding to a lowest measured manifold absolute pressure (MAP), relative to a remainder of the plurality of different firing patterns/fractions;
determining, by the controller and for at least the first firing pattern/fraction and a second firing pattern/fraction of the remainder of the plurality of different firing patterns/fractions, a calibration parameter value based on the set of operating parameters and the plurality of operational states of the plurality of sub-systems, wherein each calibration parameter value is indicative a positive or negative impact to a volumetric efficiency of the engine resulting from switching to an associated firing pattern/fraction;
selecting, by the controller, the second firing pattern/fraction when its associated calibration parameter value is greater than the calibration parameter value associated with the first firing pattern/fraction to obtain a target firing pattern/fraction, wherein the second firing fraction/pattern is not an intermediary firing fraction/pattern during a transition to the first firing fraction/pattern; and
controlling, by the controller, the engine based on the target firing pattern/fraction to maximize an efficiency of the engine.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of sub-systems further comprises an active noise cancellation (ANC) system of the engine.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising determining, by the controller, the second firing pattern/fraction based further on at least one of road conditions and ambient conditions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein determining the second firing pattern/fraction comprises utilizing, by the controller, a look-up table.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein determining the second firing pattern/fraction comprises utilizing, by the controller, a physics-based model.