Engine control with valve deactivation monitoring using exhaust pressure
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJohn Eric Rollinger, Michael John Cullen, Jeffrey Allen Doering
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system or method for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine operable in a reduced displacement mode with at least one valve or cylinder selectively deactivated include controlling the engine in response to detecting opening of an exhaust valve after deactivation based measured or inferred exhaust pressure changes after deactivation. In one embodiment, controlling the engine includes reactivating one or more deactivated cylinders/valves, inhibiting subsequent deactivation, and/or storing a diagnostic code in a computer readable storage medium in response to detecting valve opening after deactivation.
Claims16
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine operable in a reduced displacement mode, the method comprising:
- detecting opening of at least one exhaust valve associated with a deactivated cylinder during reduced displacement mode operation in response to exhaust pressure associated with the deactivated cylinder.
An internal combustion engine having at least one selectively deactivated exhaust valve, the engine comprising:
- a first exhaust pressure sensor;
- and
- a controller in communication with the exhaust pressure sensor, the controller controlling the engine in response to the exhaust pressure sensor indicating opening of at least one exhaust valve after deactivation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.