# US 8,788,179 B2 · Emission deterioration informing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,179 B2 - Document ID: US8788179B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/180,777 - Filed: 2011-07-12 - Published: 2012-01-19 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-13 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Applicants: Satoru Ohsaki - Inventors: Satoru Ohsaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788179B2 ## CPC - F02D 41/221: {relating to the failure of actuators or electrically driven elements} - F02D 41/2403: {using essentially up/down counters} - F02D 41/402: {Multiple injections} - F02B 23/104: {the injector being placed on a side position of the cylinder} - F02B 2075/125: {Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber} - F02D 41/3029: {further comprising a homogeneous charge spark-ignited mode} - F02D 41/401: {Controlling injection timing (F02D41/402 takes precedence)} - F02D 2041/224: {Diagnosis of the fuel system} - F02D 2041/228: {Warning displays} - F02D 2200/021: Engine temperature - F02D 2200/0618: Actual fuel injection timing or delay, e.g. determined from fuel pressure drop - 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) - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An emission deterioration informing device senses actual injection timing, at which fuel injection is actually performed from an injector. The device calculates a deviation amount of the sensed actual injection timing from target injection timing. The device has a warning light for informing deterioration of exhaust emission when the calculated deviation amount is larger than a predetermined threshold value. The device determines whether an operation state of an internal combustion engine is an impact state, in which the exhaust emission receives a predetermined influence or more from the deviation of the actual injection timing from the target injection timing. The device allows lighting of the warning light when the operation state is determined to be the impact state. The device prohibits the lighting of the warning light when the operation state is not determined to be the impact state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An emission deterioration informing device applied to a direct injection internal combustion engine, which injects fuel from an injector directly into a combustion chamber and which is a spark ignition internal combustion engine, the emission deterioration informing device comprising: an actual injection timing sensing means for sensing actual injection timing, at which the fuel injection is actually performed from the injector; a deviation amount calculating means for calculating a deviation amount of the sensed actual injection timing from target injection timing; an emission deterioration informing means for informing deterioration of exhaust emission when the calculated deviation amount is larger than a predetermined threshold value; and an impact state determining means for determining whether an operation state of the internal combustion engine is an impact state, in which the exhaust emission receives a predetermined influence or more from the deviation of the actual injection timing from the target injection timing, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is configured to allow the information by the emission deterioration informing means when the operation state is determined to be the impact state, and the emission deterioration informing device is configured to prohibit the information by the emission deterioration informing means when the operation state is not determined to be the impact state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 1, wherein the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that fuel is injected during a compression stroke of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 1, wherein the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that temperature of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is lower than a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 1, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to the internal combustion engine having a catalytic device for purifying exhaust gas, and the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that temperature of the catalytic device has not reached catalyst activation temperature and catalyst warm-up operation is being performed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 1, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to a fuel injection system having an injection commanding means for outputting an injection command signal corresponding to target injection quantity and target injection timing and a drive circuit for controlling a drive voltage or a drive current supplied to the injector based on the injection command signal, and the actual injection timing sensing means senses the actual injection timing based on the drive voltage or the drive current controlled by the drive circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 1, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to a fuel injection system having an injection commanding means for outputting an injection command signal corresponding to target injection quantity and target injection timing and a drive circuit for controlling a drive voltage or a drive current supplied to the injector based on the injection command signal, and the emission deterioration informing device is configured to prohibit the information by the emission deterioration informing means when temperature of an electronic component constituting the injection commanding means or an electronic component constituting the drive circuit is outside an operation-guaranteed temperature range. ### Claim 7 An emission deterioration informing device applied to a direct injection internal combustion engine, which injects fuel from an injector directly into a combustion chamber and which is a spark ignition internal combustion engine, the emission deterioration informing device comprising: an actual injection timing sensing means for sensing actual injection timing, at which the fuel injection is actually performed from the injector; a deviation amount calculating means for calculating a deviation amount of the sensed actual injection timing from target injection timing; an emission deterioration informing means for informing deterioration of exhaust emission when the deviation amount is larger than a predetermined threshold value; and an impact state determining means for determining whether an operation state of the internal combustion engine is an impact state, in which the exhaust emission receives a predetermined influence or more from the deviation of the actual injection timing from the target injection timing, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is configured to set the threshold value at a larger value in the case where the operation state is not determined to be the impact state than in the case where the operation state is determined to be the impact state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 7, wherein the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that fuel is injected during a compression stroke of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 7, wherein the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that temperature of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is lower than a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 7, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to the internal combustion engine having a catalytic device for purifying exhaust gas, and the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that temperature of the catalytic device has not reached catalyst activation temperature and catalyst warm-up operation is being performed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 7, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to a fuel injection system having an injection commanding means for outputting an injection command signal corresponding to target injection quantity and target injection timing and a drive circuit for controlling a drive voltage or a drive current supplied to the injector based on the injection command signal, and the actual injection timing sensing means senses the actual injection timing based on the drive voltage or the drive current controlled by the drive circuit, ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 7, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to a fuel injection system having an injection commanding means for outputting an injection command signal corresponding to target injection quantity and target injection timing and a drive circuit for controlling a drive voltage or a drive current supplied to the injector based on the injection command signal, and the emission deterioration informing device is configured to prohibit the information by the emission deterioration informing means when temperature of an electronic component constituting the injection commanding means or an electronic component constituting the drive circuit is outside an operation-guaranteed temperature range. ### Claim 13 An emission deterioration informing device applied to a direct injection internal combustion engine, which injects fuel from an injector directly into a combustion chamber and which is a spark ignition internal combustion engine, the emission deterioration informing device comprising: an actual injection time number sensing means for sensing an actual injection time number of split injections when the fuel injection in a combustion cycle of the internal combustion engine is performed as a plurality of split injections; an emission deterioration informing means for informing deterioration of exhaust emission when the sensed actual injection time number is smaller than a target injection time number; and an impact state determining means for determining whether an operation state of the internal combustion engine is an impact state, in which the exhaust emission receives a predetermined influence or more because the actual injection time number is smaller than the target injection time number, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is configured to allow the information by the emission deterioration informing means when the operation state is determined to be the impact state, and the emission deterioration informing device is configured to prohibit the information by the emission deterioration informing means when the operation state is not determined to be the impact state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 13, wherein the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that fuel is injected during a compression stroke of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 13, wherein the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that temperature of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is lower than a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 13, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to the internal combustion engine having a catalytic device for purifying exhaust gas, and the impact state determining means determines that the operation state is the impact state on a condition that temperature of the catalytic device has not reached catalyst activation temperature and catalyst warm-up operation is being performed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 13, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to a fuel injection system having an injection commanding means for outputting an injection command signal corresponding to target injection quantity and target injection timing and a drive circuit for controlling a drive voltage or a drive current supplied to the injector based on the injection command signal, and the actual injection time number sensing means senses the actual injection time number based on the drive voltage or the drive current controlled by the drive circuit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The emission deterioration informing device as in claim 13, wherein the emission deterioration informing device is applied to a fuel injection system having an injection commanding means for outputting an injection command signal corresponding to target injection quantity and target injection timing and a drive circuit for controlling a drive voltage or a drive current supplied to the injector based on the injection command signal, and the emission deterioration informing device is configured to prohibit the information by the emission deterioration informing means when temperature of an electronic component constituting the injection commanding means or an electronic component constituting the drive circuit is outside an operation-guaranteed temperature range.