Method for testing a pressure sensor of a fuel accumulator device
AssigneeContinental Automotive GmbH
InventorsCarl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Matthias Stampfer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a method for testing a pressure sensor of a fuel accumulator device in an internal combustion engine, the pressure in the fuel accumulator device is altered using a first actuating variable. The influence of that alteration on the torque generated by the internal combustion engine is determined by a closed loop control system adjusting a second actuating variable to counteract the effect of the first on the torque output by the internal combustion engine. A deviation of the measured alteration from the expected alteration is then calculated.
Claims18
A method for testing a pressure sensor of a fuel accumulator device of an internal combustion engine during operation of the internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
- implementing a change in a first actuating variable;
- applying a closed loop control scheme to vary a second actuating variable in response to the change in the first actuating variable, thereby maintaining a constant torque output by the internal combustion engine;
- comparing an actual change of the second actuating variable resulting from the closed loop control scheme to an expected change in the second actuating variable according to the closed loop control scheme, based on the implemented change in the first actuating variable, to determine a deviation between the actual change and the expected change;
- and
- evaluating an operating condition of the pressure sensor based on the determined deviation.
A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable data carrier storing computer instructions which when executed on a computer perform a method for testing a pressure sensor of a fuel accumulator device of an internal combustion engine including the steps of:
- implementing a change in a first actuating variable;
- applying a closed loop control scheme to vary a second actuating variable in response to the change in the first actuating variable, thereby maintaining a constant torque output by the internal combustion engine;
- comparing an actual change of the second actuating variable resulting from the closed loop control scheme to an expected change in the second actuating variable according to the closed loop control scheme, based on the implemented change in the first actuating variable, to determine a deviation between the actual change and the expected change;
- and
- evaluating an operating condition of the pressure sensor based on the determined deviation.
A system for testing a pressure sensor of a fuel accumulator device of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a fuel accumulator wherein the pressure in the fuel accumulator device changes,
- a pressure sensor coupled with the fuel accumulator and generating a signal corresponding to a fuel pressure in the fuel accumulator device;
- and
- a diagnostic device configured to implement the steps of:
- implementing a change in a first actuating variable;
- applying a closed loop control scheme to vary a second actuating variable in response to the change in the first actuating variable, thereby maintaining a constant torque output by the internal combustion engine;
- comparing an actual change of the second actuating variable resulting from the closed loop control scheme to an expected change in the second actuating variable according to the closed loop control scheme, based on the implemented change in the first actuating variable, to determine a deviation between the actual change and the expected change;
- and
- evaluating an operating condition of the pressure sensor based on the determined deviation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.