Apparatus for and method of controlling a vehicle engine
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsAkihiro Iiyama, Koudai Yoshizawa, Teruyuki Itoh
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Abstract
Controlling of an engine provided with a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage is executed during an idling operation of the engine to heat catalyst in the catalytic converter while permitting the self-ignition combustion mode to be performed in the engine when the catalyst is in a non-active condition, and when the temperature Te of the engine cooling water is higher than a predetermined threshold value Te1, and to allow execution of the self-ignition combustion mode as well as the idling-stop function when the catalyst is in an active condition, and when the temperature Te of the engine cooling water is higher than a predetermined threshold value Te2 that is larger than the predetermined threshold value Te1.
Claims14
An apparatus for controlling a vehicle engine provided with a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage, comprising:
- an engine temperature sensor detecting a temperature Te of the engine;
- a catalyst temperature sensor detecting a temperature Tc of a catalyst in the catalytic converter;
- and
- a control unit programmed to:
- select a combustion mode from a self-ignition combustion mode and a spark ignition combustion mode based on the engine temperature Te and the catalyst temperature Tc;
- and
- control the engine according to the selected combustion mode when the engine is in idling operation,
- wherein the control unit is further programmed to:
- select the self-ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is higher than a first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is lower than a threshold value Tc1;
- select the self-ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is higher than a second threshold value Te2 which is higher than the first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is higher than the threshold value Tc1;
- and
- select the spark ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is between the first threshold value Te1 and the second threshold value Te2, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is higher than the threshold value Tc1.
An apparatus for controlling a vehicle engine provided with a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage, comprising:
- an engine temperature sensor detecting a temperature Te of the engine;
- a catalyst temperature sensor detecting a temperature Tc of a catalyst in the catalytic converter;
- and
- a control unit programmed to:
- select a combustion mode from a self-ignition combustion mode and a spark ignition combustion mode based on the engine temperature Te and the catalyst temperature Tc;
- and
- control the engine according to the selected combustion mode when the engine is in idling operation,
- wherein the control unit is further programmed to:
- select the self-ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is higher than a first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is lower than a threshold value Tc1;
- and
- stop the engine when the engine temperature Te is higher than a second threshold value Te2 which is higher than the first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is higher than the threshold value Tc1, and when the vehicle is being stopped.
A method of controlling a vehicle engine provided with a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage, comprising steps of:
- detecting a temperature Te of the engine;
- detecting a temperature Tc of a catalyst in the catalytic converter;
- selecting a combustion mode from a self-ignition combustion mode and a spark ignition combustion mode based on the engine temperature Te and the catalyst temperature Tc;
- and
- controlling the engine according to the selected combustion mode when the engine is in idling operation,
- wherein the step of selecting the combustion mode comprises steps of:
- selecting the self-ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is higher than a first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is lower than a threshold value Tc1;
- selecting the self-ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is higher than a second threshold value Te2 which is higher than the first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is higher than the threshold value Tc1;
- and
- selecting the spark ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is between the first threshold value Te1 and the second threshold value Te2, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is higher than the threshold value Tc1.
A method of controlling a vehicle engine provided with a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage, comprising steps of:
- detecting a temperature Te of the engine;
- detecting a temperature Tc of a catalyst in the catalytic converter;
- selecting a combustion mode from a self-ignition combustion mode and a spark ignition combustion mode based on the engine temperature Te and the catalyst temperature Tc;
- and
- controlling the engine according to the selected combustion mode when the engine is in idling operation,
- wherein the step of selecting the combustion mode comprises steps of:
- selecting the self-ignition combustion mode when the engine temperature Te is higher than a first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is lower than a threshold value Tc1;
- and
- stopping the engine when the engine temperature Te is higher than a second threshold value Te2 which is higher than the first threshold value Te1, and when the catalyst temperature Tc is higher than the threshold value Tc1, and when the vehicle is being stopped.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.