Electronic control system for internal combustion engine with stall preventive feature and method for performing stall preventive engine control

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for producing an engine speed indicative first sensor signal;
• a reference signal generator for producing a second signal representative of an engine speed low enough to lead to engine stalling;
• second means for comparing a value of said first sensor signal with said second signal and producing an engine stall indicative signal if said first sensor signal value is less than said second signal;
• an auxiliary drive unit responsive to said engine stall indicative signal for transmitting torque to the engine while the engine is operating under its own power in order to increase the engine output torque relative to the load on the engine, said auxiliary drive unit comprising a starter motor which is independent of another starter motor used for engine cranking and which is responsive to said engine stall indicative signal to temporarily apply additional torque to an engine output shaft.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for producing an engine speed indicative first sensor signal;
• a reference signal generator for producing a second signal representative of an engine speed low enough to lead to engine stalling;
• second means for comparing said first sensor signal value with said second signal and producing an engine stall indicative signal if said first sensor signal value is less than said second signal value;
• an auxiliary drive unit responsive to said engine stall indicative signal for transmitting torque to the engine while the engine is operating under its own power in order to increase the engine output torque relative to the load on the engine, comprising an alternator for generating electric power, also operative as an electrically driven motor, and responsive to said stall indicative signal to operate as an electrically driven motor to apply torque to the engine.

A method for controlling an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a preselected engine operation parameter;
• detecting engine operating conditions on the basis of the monitored engine operation parameter;
• detecting engine conditions known to lead to stalling on the basis of the detected operating condition;
• recording said engine operation parameter at a moment said engine stall condition is detected as engine stall condition representative data, and accumulating another set of engine stall condition representative data each time the engine stall condition is detected;
• and
• comparing detected engine operating conditions with said engine stall condition representative data and performing a prdetermined engine stall-preventive operation, in which the engine output torque is increased relative to the load on the engine, when the detected engine operating condition satisfies a specific relationship with at least one set of said engine stall condition representative data.

A method for performing stall preventive control for an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring an engine operating parameter;
• detecting engine operating conditions on the basis of the detected engine operating parameter and determining a pattern of variations in said detected operating conditions over time;
• detecting an engine condition known to lead to engine stalling on the basis of detected engine operating conditions by comparing said pattern of variations in said detected operating conditions over time with a known pattern of operating conditions over time which have a high probability of leading to engine stall;
• and
• driving an auxiliary drive unit associated with said engine while the engine is running under its own power so as to apply additional torque to the engine when said engine stalling condition is detected.

A method for projecting a possible occurrence of engine stall during engine operation, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring variations in engine operation parameters;
• detecting engine operating conditions on the basis of engine operating parameters;
• detecting engine conditions known to lead to engine stalling on the basis of detected engine operating conditions;
• recording a pattern of variation of said engine operation parameters each time the engine stalling condition is detected;
• and
• comparing the monitored variations of said engine operating parameters with said set engine operation parameter variation patterns to detect engine conditions which may lead to engine stall.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• sensor means for monitoring a preselected engine operation parameter and producing a first sensor signal indicative thereof;
• means, responsive to said first signal for monitoring variations of said first sensor signal value over a given period of time for establishing an engine driving condition variation pattern and producing a second signal indicative thereof;
• means, responsive to said second signal and including means for storing a preset engine operating condition variation pattern over time, which preset pattern is representative of engine operating having a high probability to cause stall, for comparing said variation pattern as indicated by said second signal and said preset pattern for detecting incipient engine stall based on said second signal and producing a third signal when incipient engine stall is detected;
• and
• fourth means, associated with said third means and responsive to said third signal, for performing an engine stall preventive operation in which the magnitude of engine output torque relative to the load on the engine is increased.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for monitoring a preselected engine operation parameter and producing a first sensor signal indicative thereof;
• a second detector for detecting a preselected engine operating condition on the basis of a pattern of variations over time in said first sensor signal and producing a second detector signal indicative thereof;
• third means, responsive to said second detector signal, for detecting incipient engine stall based on said second detector signal and producing a third signal when incipient engine stall is detected;
• and
• fourth means, associated with said third means and responsive to said third signal, for performing an engine stall preventive operation in which the magnitude of engine output torque relative to the load on the engine is increased, said fourth means comprising a starter motor engageable with the engine and driven by an electrical power source to apply additional torque to the engine in response to said third signal, wherein said starter motor performing said engine stall preventive operation is installed as an auxiliary unit independent of another starter motor used to crank the engine.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for monitoring a preselected engine operation parameter and producing a first sensor signal indicative thereof;
• a second detector for detecting a preselected engine operating condition of the basis of a pattern of variations over time in said first sensor signal and producing a second detector signal indicative thereof;
• third means, responsive to said second detector signal and including means for storing a preset engine operating condition variation pattern over time, which preset pattern is representative of engine operation having a high possibility of resulting in engine stall, for comparing said variation pattern as indicated by said second detector signal and said preset pattern for detecting incipient engine stall based on said second detector signal and producing a third signal when incipient engine stall is detected;
• and
• fourth means, associated with said third means and responsive to said third signal, for performing an engine stall preventive operation in which the magnitude of engine output torque relative to the load on the engine is increased.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for producing an engine speed indicative first sensor signal indicative of a pattern of engine speed variations over time;
• a reference signal generator for producing a second signal representative of an engine speed variation pattern over time which is indicative of a high probability of resulting in engine stalling;
• second means for comparing said first sensor signal with said second signal and producing an engine stall indicative signal if said first sensor signal is less than said second signal and remains less than said second sensor signal for a predetermined length of time;
• an auxiliary drive unit responsive to said engine stall indicative signal for transmitting torque to the engine while the engine is operating under its own power in order to increase the engine output torque relative to the load on the engine.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for producing an engine speed indicative first sensor signal;
• a reference signal generator for producing a second signal representative of an engine speed low enough to lead to engine stalling;
• second means for comparing said first sensor signal value with said second signal and producing an engine stall indicative signal if said first sensor signal value is less than said second signal value;
• an auxiliary drive unit responsive to said engine stall indicative signal for transmitting torque to the engine while the engine is operating under its own power in order to increase the engine output torque relative to the load on the engine, comprising a flywheel driven by the engine to accumulate engine power in the form of angular momentum, and responsive to said engine stall indicative signal to return accumulated power to said engine, wherein said flywheel is connected to an engine output shaft through an electromagnetically operable clutch engaged in response to said engine stall indicative signal.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for monitoring a preselected engine operation parameter and producing a first sensor signal indicative thereof;
• a second detector for detecting a preselected engine operating condition on the basis of variations in said first sensor signal and producing a second detector signal indicative thereof;
• third means, responsive to said second detector signal, for detecting incipient engine stall and producing a third signal when incipient engine stall is detected;
• and
• fourth means, associated with said third means and responsive to said third signal, for performing an engine stall preventive operation in which the magnitude of engine output torque relative to the load on the engine is increased,
• wherein said fourth means records said first sensor signal as engine stall condition-indicative data in response to detection of incipient engine stall, compares said engine stall condition-indicative data with said second detector signal and outputs said third signal whenever said second detector signal satisfies a predetermined specific relationship with one of the recorded engine stall condition-indicative data.

A stall preventive control system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first sensor for monitoring a preselected engine operation parameter and producing a first sensor signal indicative thereof;
• a second detector associated with said first sensor for detecting instantaneous engine operating conditions and producing a second detector signal indicative of the engine operating conditions;
• a third means, for recording said first sensor signal value as engine stall condition-indicative data in response to the second detector signal indicative of engine conditions known to lead to stalling;
• fourth means, responsive to said second detector signal, for deriving engine operating condition data and comparing the derived engine operating condition data with said engine stall condition-indicative data to output a third signal indicative of engine conditions known to lead to stalling with a high probability when said engine operating condition satisfies a predetermined relationship with said engine stall condition-indicative data;
• and
• fifth means, associated with an accessory device of an engine, for operating said accessory device in response to said third signal so as to increase the magnitude of the engine output torque relative to the load on the engine.