# US 2011/0253108 A1 · Control system of internal combustion engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2011/0253108 A1 - Document ID: US20110253108A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/130,608 - Filed: 2008-11-25 - Published: 2011-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2008-11-25 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Takashi Kawasaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20110253108A1 ## CPC - F02D 13/02: during engine operation - F02B 75/041: {by means of cylinder or cylinderhead positioning} - F02B 2275/32: Miller cycle - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - 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) - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An internal combustion engine wherein a variable compression ratio mechanism which can change the mechanical compression ratio and a detection sensor for detecting the mechanical compression ratio are provided and wherein the mechanical compression ratio is controlled based on the mechanical compression ratio detected by the detection sensor. When a signal line of the detection sensor breaks, the mechanical compression ratio is lowered to the minimum mechanical compression ratio. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-9. (canceled) ### Claim 10 A control system of an internal combustion engine comprising: a variable compression ratio mechanism able to change a mechanical compression ratio; a variable valve timing mechanism able to control a closing timing of an intake valve; the closing timing of the intake valve approaching an intake bottom dead center as an engine load becomes higher, a detection device for detecting the mechanical compression ratio; and a compression ratio control device controlling the mechanical compression ratio on the basis of the mechanical compression ratio detected by the detection device; wherein when an abnormality occurs in the detection device, the mechanical compression ratio is lowered to a minimum mechanical compression ratio, the closing timing of the intake valve is fixed to a closing timing at the time of an engine high load operation, and control of an amount of intake air by the variable valve timing mechanism is switched to control of an amount of intake air by a throttle valve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A control system of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10, wherein said detection device is provided with a detection sensor which detects the mechanical compression ratio and generates an output signal which shows the detected mechanical compression ratio; said compression ratio control device receives an output signal of said detection sensor as an input signal showing said detected mechanical compression ratio and, based on said input signal, lowers the mechanical compression ratio when said detected mechanical compression ratio is higher than a target mechanical compression ratio and increases the mechanical compression ratio when said detected mechanical compression ratio is lower than the target mechanical compression ratio; said control system is provided with input signal switching means for switching said input signal to an input signal indicating a predetermined mechanical compression ratio of a high compression ratio side regardless of the output signal of the detector sensor when an abnormality occurs in said detection device; and due to this input signal switching action, the mechanical compression ratio is lowered toward the minimum mechanical compression ratio. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A control system of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein said predetermined mechanical compression ratio is a maximum mechanical compression ratio. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A control system of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein said detection sensor generates an output voltage which increases along with an increase of the detected mechanical compression ratio, said output voltage is conveyed over a signal line to said compression ratio control device and input as said input signal, and said input signal switching means is comprised of a pullup circuit for pulling up a voltage which is input as said input signal when said signal line breaks. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A control system of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 13, wherein when said signal line breaks, the voltage which is input as said input signal is pulled up by the pullup circuit to a voltage showing a maximum mechanical compression ratio. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A control system of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein said detection sensor generates an output voltage which decreases along with an increase of the detected mechanical compression ratio, said output voltage is conveyed over a signal line to said compression ratio control device and input as said input signal, and said input signal switching means is comprised of a pulldown circuit for pulling down a voltage which is input as said input signal when said signal line breaks. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A control system of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 15, wherein when said signal line breaks, the voltage which is input as said input signal is pulled down by the pulldown circuit to a voltage showing a maximum mechanical compression ratio.