Cam phase control apparatus and method, and engine control unit for internal combustion engine

A cam phase control apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling an actual cam phase of at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam with respect to a crank shaft, said apparatus comprising:

• cam phase varying means for changing said actual cam phase;
• cam phase detecting means for detecting said actual cam phase;
• operating condition detecting means for detecting an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• target cam phase setting means for setting a target cain phase in accordance with the detected operating condition;
• sampling means for sampling a deviation of said detected actual cam phase from said set target cam phase at a predetermined sampling period;
• and
• control means relying on a response specifying control algorithm for creating a switching function as a function of time series data of said sampled deviation to determine a control input to said cam phase varying means at a predetermined control period for converging said actual cam phase to said target cam phase.

A cam phase control apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling an actual cam phase of at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam with respect to a crank shaft, said apparatus comprising:

• a cam phase varying module for changing said actual cam phase;
• a cam phase detecting module for detecting said actual cam phase;
• an operating condition detecting module for detecting an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• a target cam phase setting module for setting a target cam phase in accordance with the detected operating condition;
• and
• a control module relying on a response specifying control algorithm to determine a control input to said cam phase varying device at a predetermined control period for converging said actual cam phase to said target cam phase, said response specifying control algorithm configured to model a controlled object which receives the control input to said cam phase varying device and outputs said actual cam phase, said controlled object being represented by a discrete time based model.

A cam phase control apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling an actual cam phase of at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam with respect to a crank shaft, said apparatus comprising:

• a cam phase varying device for changing said actual cam phase;
• a cam phase detecting module for detecting said actual cam phase;
• an operating condition detecting module for detecting an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• a target cam phase setting module for setting a target cam phase in accordance with the detected operating condition;
• a sampling module for sampling a deviation of said detected actual cam phase from said set target cam phase at a predetermined sampling period;
• and
• a control module relying on a response specifying control algorithm for creating a switching function as a function of time series data of said sampled deviation to determine a control input to said cam phase varying device at a predetermined control period for converging said actual cam phase to said target cam phase.

A cam phase control method for an internal combustion engine for controlling an actual cam phase of at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam with respect to a crank shaft, said method comprising the steps of:

• changing said actual cam phase;
• detecting said actual cam phase;
• detecting an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• setting a target cam phase in accordance with the detected operating condition;
• and
• determining a control input at a predetermined control period in accordance with a response specifying control algorithm for converging said actual cam phase to said target cam phase, said response specifying control algorithm configured to model a controlled object which receives the control input and outputs said actual cam phase, said controlled object being represented by a discrete time based model.

A cam phase control method for an internal combustion engine for controlling an actual cam phase of at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam with respect to a crank shaft, said method comprising the steps of:

• changing said actual cam phase;
• detecting said actual cam phase;
• detecting an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• setting a target cam phase in accordance with the detected operating condition;
• sampling a deviation of said detected actual cam phase from said set target cam phase at a predetermined sampling period;
• and
• determining a control input at a predetermined control period in accordance with a response specifying control algorithm for creating a switching function as a function of time series data of said sampled deviation for converging said actual cam phase to said target cam phase.

An engine control unit including a control program for causing a computer to carry out control of actual cam phase of at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam with respect to a crank shaft in an internal combustion engine, wherein:

• said control program causes the computer to change said actual cam phase;
• detect said actual cam phase;
• detect an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• set a target cam phase in accordance with the detected operating condition;
• and determine a control input at a predetermined control period in accordance with a response specifying control algorithm for converging said actual cam phase to said target cam phase, said response specifying control algorithm configured to model a controlled object which receives the control input and outputs said actual cam phase, said controlled object being represented by a discrete time based model.

An engine control unit including a control program for causing a computer to carry out control of actual cam phase of at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam with respect to a crank shaft in an internal combustion engine, wherein:

• said control program causes the computer to change said actual cam phase;
• detect said actual cam phase;
• detect an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• set a target cam phase in accordance with the detected operating condition;
• sample a deviation of said detected actual cam phase from said set target cam phase at a predetermined sampling period;
• and determine a control input at a predetermined control period in accordance with a response specifying control algorithm for creating a switching function as a function of time series data of said sampled deviation for converging said actual cam phase to said target cam phase.