# US 8,464,529 B2 · Reduction in turbocharger lag at high altitudes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,529 B2 - Document ID: US8464529B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/039,144 - Filed: 2011-03-02 - Published: 2011-08-25 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-02 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Felix Nedorezov; Ken Jahr - Inventors: Felix Nedorezov; Ken Jahr - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464529B2 ## CPC - F02D 23/00: Controlling engines characterised by their being supercharged - F02D 41/0007: {for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12)} - F02P 5/1502: {using one central computing unit} - F02D 2041/001: {for engines with variable valve actuation} - F02D 2200/703: Atmospheric pressure - F02P 5/1516: {with means relating to exhaust gas recirculation, e.g. turbo} - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F02P: IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES ({anti-pollution means for internal-combustion engines F02B17/00}; specially adapted for rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines F02B53/12; {ignition of gas turbine plants F02C7/26; ignition of jet propulsion plants F02K9/95; starting of combustion engines F02N9/00}; ignition of combustion apparatus in general, glowing plugs F23Q; measuring of physical variables in general G01; controlling in general G05; data processing in general G06; electrical components in general see Section H; {ignition coils H01F38/12}; sparking plugs H01T13/00) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method of operating a turbocharged engine having cylinders in which one of the cylinders undergoes a compression stroke. The method includes advancing an ignition spark in the one of the cylinders undergoing the compression stroke by a first amount relative to top dead center of the compression stroke at a first barometric pressure for a given engine speed and load, and advancing the ignition spark in the one of the cylinders undergoing the compression stroke by a second, lesser amount relative to top dead center of the compression stroke at a second, lower barometric pressure, for the given engine speed and load as the vehicle being at different altitudes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a vehicle's turbocharged engine having cylinders comprising: determining barometric pressures for a given engine speed and load; the barometric pressures comprising a first barometric pressure and a second barometric pressure being lower than the first barometric pressure; advancing an ignition spark by a first amount relative to top dead center in one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load at the first barometric pressure; and advancing an ignition spark by a second amount relative to top dead center in the one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load at the second barometric pressure; the second amount being less than the first amount relative to top dead center in the one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: at the first barometric pressure, adjusting engine speed at a first idle speed; and at the second barometric pressure, adjusting engine speed at a second idle speed; wherein the second idle speed at the second barometric pressure is higher than the first idle speed at the first barometric pressure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: at the first barometric pressure for the given engine load, adjusting/opening an exhaust valve at a first timing; and at the second barometric pressure for the given engine load, adjusting/opening the exhaust valve at a second timing; wherein the adjusting/opening the exhaust valve at the second timing at the second barometric pressure for the given engine load is earlier than the adjusting/opening the exhaust valve at the first timing at the first barometric pressure for the given engine load. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: at the first barometric pressure for the given engine load, regulating an intake throttle to have a first amount of air; and at the second barometric pressure for the given engine load, regulating the intake throttle to have a second amount of air; wherein the second amount of air at the second barometric pressure for the given engine load is greater than the first amount of air at the first barometric pressure for the given engine load. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: at the first barometric pressure for the given engine load, opening a compressor by-pass valve to discharge a first amount of air; and at the second barometric pressure for the given engine load, opening the compressor by-pass valve to discharge a second amount of air; wherein the second amount of air at the second barometric pressure for the given engine load is greater than the first amount of air at the first barometric pressure for the given engine load. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising reducing of the first amount relative the one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke by which the ignition spark is advanced during tip-in. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising enriching an air-to-fuel ratio of an intake charge of the cylinder during tip-in. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising eliminating the air-to-fuel ratio enrichment to a steady state value when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke is a first cylinder of the engine, the method further comprising: impoverishing an air-to-fuel ratio of an intake air charge of a second of the cylinders of the engine during tip-in. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein tip-in is signaled by an increase in accelerator-pedal position when a speed of one or both of the engine and the vehicle are below a threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising restoring the one or both of the first and second amounts to their steady-state values when the speed of the engine exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 12 A method of operating a vehicle's turbocharged engine comprising: determining barometric pressures for a given engine speed and load; the barometric pressures comprising a first barometric pressure and a second barometric pressure being lower than the first barometric pressure; advancing an ignition spark by a first amount relative to top dead center in one of a plurality of cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load at the first barometric pressure; and advancing an ignition spark by a second amount relative to top dead center in the one of the plurality of said cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load at the second barometric pressure; the second amount being less than the first amount relative to top dead center in the one of the plurality of said cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load, reducing the first amount of ignition spark advance during a first tip-in at the first barometric pressure, and reducing the second amount of ignition spark advance during a second tip-in at the second barometric pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising enriching an air-to-fuel ratio of an intake charge of the one of the plurality of said cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load during tip-in. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising eliminating the enriching of the air-to-fuel ratio when a speed of the vehicle exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the tip-in is a tip-in from idle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising eliminating one or both of the first and second amounts of advancement to steady state values when a speed of the engine exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 17 A method of operating a turbocharged engine of a motor vehicle, the engine having cylinders comprising: interrogating a motor vehicle operation in responsive to barometric pressures at different altitudes; the barometric pressures comprising a first barometric pressure and a second barometric pressure being lower than the first barometric pressure; advancing an ignition spark by a first amount relative to top dead center in one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load at the first barometric pressure while operating the engine at a first idle speed; and advancing an ignition spark by a second amount relative to top dead center in the one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load at the second barometric pressure while operating the engine at a second idle speed; the second amount being less than the first amount relative to top dead center in the one of the cylinders, which undergoes the compression stroke for the given engine speed and load; and wherein the second idle speed is higher than the first idle speed of the engine for the given engine speed and load. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising: at a first barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load, opening an exhaust valve at a first timing; at the second barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load, opening the exhaust valve at a second timing; wherein the opening the exhaust valve at the second timing at the second barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load is earlier than the opening the exhaust valve at the first timing at the first barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising: at a first barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load, regulating an intake throttle to have a first amount of air; and at the second barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load, regulating the intake throttle to have a second amount of air; wherein the second amount of air at the second barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load is greater than the first amount of air at the first barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising: at a first barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load, opening a compressor by-pass valve to discharge a first amount of air; and at the second barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load, opening the compressor by-pass valve to discharge a second amount of air wherein the second amount of air at the second barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load is greater than the first amount of air at the first barometric pressure for the given engine speed and load.