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US 2014/0149023 A1Published application
Method and system for engine position control
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDouglas Raymond Martin, Kenneth James Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for increasing an efficiency of engine starting of a hybrid vehicle are disclosed. An engine position is determined with higher resolution using timing circuits that are triggered in coordination with the operation of a laser ignition device of the engine. The more accurately determined piston position information enables a cylinder for initiating combustion during an engine restart to be better identified.
Claims20
An engine method, comprising:
- operating a laser ignition device to deliver a laser pulse into a cylinder;
- and
- inferring a position of a piston of the cylinder based on a time taken to detect the laser pulse, the time taken based on each of a first coarser timing circuit and a second finer timing circuit.
A method for an engine, comprising:
- adjusting an engine operating parameter during an engine restart based on a learned engine position, the engine position based on a time taken to detect a laser pulse emitted by a laser ignition device into an engine cylinder, the time taken based on each of a first, more coarse and a second, less coarse timing circuit.
An engine system, comprising:
- an engine cylinder;
- a laser ignition system coupled to the cylinder, the laser ignition system including a laser emitter and a laser detector;
- a first, lower resolution timing circuit having a first, smaller number of circuit elements;
- a second, higher resolution timing circuit having a second, larger number of circuit elements;
- and
- a controller with computer readable instructions for:
- before an engine restart,
- operating the emitter to emit a lower energy laser pulse into the cylinder;
- in response to the emitting, starting each of the first and second timing circuits,
- detecting the emitted laser pulse following reflection off a piston of the cylinder;
- in response to the detecting, stopping each of the first and second timing circuits;
- and
- inferring a position of the cylinder piston based on a combined output of the first and second timing circuits.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.