Diagnostic system using pattern recognition for electronic automotive control systems

A method for identifying selected conditions in a combustion engine comprising the steps of:

• conducting a plurality of engine operating trials using a test engine, each trial including at least one respective one of a plurality of known selected conditions;
• collecting engine operating data during said operating trials corresponding to a plurality of engine parameters, said parameters including individual firing events;
• inputting said engine parameters and condition codes as training vectors to a trainable pattern recognition system, each condition code identifying one of said selected conditions;
• recursively adjusting said pattern recognition system to converge to a configuration of said pattern recognition system for matching input vectors with said condition codes;
• conducting an engine operating trial using an engine to be diagnosed;
• collecting engine diagnostic data corresponding to said plurality of engine parameters;
• and
• inputting said engine parameters based on said diagnostic data as input vectors to said adjusted pattern recognition system to generate at least one condition code corresponding to one of said selected conditions present in said engine to be diagnosed.

Apparatus for identifying possible fault conditions in a combustion engine comprising:

• monitor means for collecting a plurality of time-referenced values corresponding to selected engine parameters during operation of said engine, said parameters including individual firing event information;
• processing means coupled to said monitor means for processing said values to derive said engine parameters and organizing said engine parameters as vectors;
• memory means coupled to said processing means for storing said vectors;
• and
• pattern recognition means coupled to said memory means for classifying said stored vectors according to said possible fault conditions.

The method for identifying selected conditions in a combustion engine comprising the steps of:

• conducting a plurality of engine operating trials using a test engine, each trial including at least one respective one of a plurality of known selected conditions;
• collecting engine operating data during said operating trials corresponding to a plurality of engine parameters, said parameters including individual firing events, said individual firing events including deviation of acceleration of a single cylinder from median filtered acceleration over one engine-cycle;
• inputting said engine parameters and respective condition codes are training vectors to a pattern recognition system to correlate patterns in said engine parameters with respective selected conditions;
• conducting an engine operating trial using an engine to be diagnosed;
• collecting engine diagnostic data corresponding to said plurality of engine parameters;
• and
• inputting said engine parameters based on said diagnostic data as input vectors to said pattern recognition system to generate at least one condition code corresponding to one of said selected conditions present in said engine to be diagnosed.

Apparatus for identifying selected conditions in a combustion engine comprising:

• trial means for conducting a plurality of engine operating trials using a test engine, each trial including at least one respective one of a plurality of known selected conditions;
• data means coupled to said trial means for collecting engine operating data during said operating trials corresponding to a plurality of engine parameters, said parameters including individual firing events;
• pattern recognition means for receiving said engine parameters and condition codes as training vectors and for recursively adjusting to a configuration of said pattern recognition means for matching input vectors with said condition codes, each condition code identifying one of said selected conditions;
• and
• operating means coupled to said pattern recognition means for collecting engine diagnostic data corresponding to said plurality of engine parameters in an engine to be diagnosed;
• said engine parameters based on said diagnostic data being input as input vectors to said adjusted pattern recognition means to generate at least one condition code corresponding to one of said selected conditions present in said engine to be diagnosed.