Misfire detection in an internal combustion engine using exhaust pressure
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsKenneth A. Marko, Bruce D. Bryant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Misfiring of individual cylinders in an internal combustion engine is detected based on sensing exhaust pressure during each operating cycle of the engine. A pressure signal is sampled and digitized during each cycle to form an input vector for a pattern classifier. Predetermined internal coefficients of the trained classifier enable the classifier to discriminate between firing and misfiring cylinders in real time with a high degree of accuracy. Overall system cost is reduced by sharing a pressure transducer with an exhaust gas recirculation system on the internal combustion engine.
Claims13
Apparatus for detecting individual misfires in an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold, comprising:
- pressure transducer means in communication with said exhaust manifold for generating a pressure signal responsive to exhaust pressure within said exhaust manifold;
- position means for generating a plurality of position signals indicative of predetermined rotational positions within a cycle of said internal combustion engine;
- an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said pressure transducer means and said position means for generating digitized pressure data corresponding to said predetermined rotational positions;
- and
- a trained classifier having a data input coupled to said analog-to-digital converter and having a set of predetermined internal coefficients for processing said digitized pressure data to generate an output signal indicative of the detection of individual misfires.
A method for detecting individual misfires in an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold, comprising the steps of:
- generating a pressure signal responsive to exhaust pressure within said exhaust manifold;
- generating a plurality of position signals indicative of predetermined rotational positions within a cycle of said internal combustion engine;
- generating digitized pressure data;
- and
- processing said digitized pressure data using a set of predetermined internal coefficients to generate an output signal indicative of the detection of individual misfires.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.