JP2003301741A - Engine system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively prevent an inconsistency between injectors mounted in an engine assembly in an engine compartment and individual data corresponding to individual injection characteristics of the injectors used by an ECU in an interior. <P>SOLUTION: An EDU 6 to exchange signals with the ECU 22 and to drive actuators of the engine assembly 21 has a ROM 61 for storing such individual data, and the ECU 22 reads the individual data in the ROM 61 to use the individual data. The arrangement of the individual data storing means in the EDU 6 constituting the engine assembly 21 together with the injectors 3A and 3D enables codes 31A to 31D of the injectors 3A to 3D to be read and written into the ROM 61 as the injectors 3A to 3D and the EDU 6 are assembled, to thereby prevent inconsistency. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an engine system, and more particularly to improvement of engine performance by reducing variation among actuators and sensors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, an internal combustion engine of a vehicle constitutes an engine system in which an engine assembly mounted in an engine compartment is controlled by a control unit in the vehicle compartment. The control unit is mainly composed of a microcomputer and calculates detection values of various sensors forming the engine assembly, and calculates a command value for driving an actuator such as an injector or a throttle valve based on the calculated values. It is supposed to do. Against the backdrop of remarkable high performance of microcomputers in recent years,
In terms of control, the engine performance is being improved.

For example, in order to improve the accuracy of fuel injection, it is important that the characteristics of parts such as injectors have a small variation among individuals, and many efforts have been made in terms of parts production technology. In terms of control, various ideas have been made. That is, the injection characteristic is tested in advance for each injector, and the individual data of each injector based on the characteristic test result is stored in the control unit of the engine system in which the injector is used, and based on the individual data. There is a technique that corrects the command value to cancel the variation in the injection characteristics of the injector. In this technique, each injector is provided with means for specifying its injection characteristic.

As such means, there is one in which a resistor is mounted on an injector. The control unit measures the resistance value by supplying a predetermined power to the resistor, and refers to the map based on the resistance value to recognize the injection characteristic of the injector (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-22050).
8).

This resistor system requires a separate cable for connecting the injectors and control units for the number of cylinders. Further, since the injection characteristics of the injector are classified according to the resistance value, the application is difficult when precise data is required. If a ROM is mounted on the injector instead of a resistor, the amount of information will increase dramatically, but this is not practical due to an increase in the number of connector pins.

As another example, there is one in which individual data for identifying the injection characteristic of each injector is coded and formed on the injector surface in correspondence with the characteristic test result of the injector. In this example, the code is read by the code reader and the data of the read code is read by the R of the control unit.
By writing to the OM or the like, the individual data of the injector can be used for correction on the control unit. It is possible to increase the scale of individual data without mounting a ROM on each injector.

[0007]

By the way, the engine assembly and the control unit having the ROM in which the individual data of the injector are stored must be combined in pairs. However, R
Unlike the engine assembly mounted in the engine compartment, the control unit provided with the OM is mounted in the vehicle compartment, so that the injector and the control unit are assembled in different processes. Therefore, the injector and the control unit having the ROM in which the individual data is stored may be inconsistent, and the operator needs to be careful when reading the code or writing the ROM.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an actuator or a sensor provided in an engine room, and a control unit for calculating a command value for the operation of the actuator or a detection value of the sensor. In the internal combustion engine system, in which the control unit corrects the command value or the detected value so as to cancel the individual difference of the actuator or the sensor based on individual data of the actuator or the sensor, in the engine room, An electronic device that is provided to exchange signals with the control unit is provided with a storage unit that stores the individual data.

The electronic device differs from the control unit in that
Since the storage means is provided in the same engine room as the actuators and sensors for storing individual data, the actuators and sensors and the electronic device provided with the storage means can be assembled together. Therefore, if the code is read from the actuator or sensor and written in the storage means of the electronic device at the time of assembling these, the combination of the actuator or sensor and the storage means storing the individual data thereof is correctly determined. To do. As a result, it is possible to prevent the mismatch between the actuator or the sensor and the storage unit.

Further, a part or all of the signal lines for exchanging signals between the electronic device and the control unit can be diverted for reading individual data from the storage means, so that the storage means can be used alone. The configuration can be simplified as compared with the case where it is provided. In this case, when the electronic device is a node of the communication network together with the control unit, the communication line connecting the nodes can be used to read out the individual data from the storage unit, so that the new signal line is Unnecessary and desirable.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, the electronic device is an electronic device constituting an engine assembly.

In the process of assembling the engine assembly, it is possible to read the code from the actuator or the sensor and write the individual data in the storage means. Therefore, even if it is an actuator or sensor that is difficult to read the code because it is surrounded by other assembly parts after the completion of the engine assembly like the injector,
The code is easy to read.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the second aspect of the invention, the electronic device is a drive unit that drives the actuator based on a command value calculated by the control unit.

The drive unit, unlike the control unit,
After the vehicle went on the market
There is no need to plan small changes for leveling up. Therefore, even if it becomes necessary to replace the control unit for countermeasures against these problems, in the conventional configuration having the storage means in the control unit, it is necessary to rewrite the individual data in the storage means each time. On the other hand, according to the present invention, this is not necessary.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a vehicle to which the engine system of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a fuel injection control device for the engine system. The engine system 2 is installed in the engine room 11 of the vehicle 1 in the engine assembly 2
An electronic control unit (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as an ECU) 2 which is a control unit in which 1 is mounted and which is mounted in a vehicle interior 12
Each part is controlled by 2. The number of cylinders for the engine assembly 21 (4 cylinders in the illustrated example)
Injectors 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D are provided for each cylinder in a one-to-one correspondence, and fuel is supplied from a common rail 4 in common, and the common rail 4 is introduced from the injectors 3A to 3D into the combustion chamber of each cylinder. The fuel is injected at an injection pressure equal to the internal fuel pressure. The fuel stored in the fuel tank 23 is pumped to the common rail 4 by the pump 5 and stored at high pressure.

Each of the injectors 3A to 3D is an actuator for switching the injection and the stop by raising and lowering the needle in the nozzle by the excitation of the solenoid and the piezoelectric action of the piezo stack. The injectors 3A to 3D are driven by a drive unit (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as EDU) 6 which is an electronic device. The EDU 6 constitutes an engine assembly 21 in the engine room 11.

The EDU 6 is an ECU 2 installed in the vehicle compartment.
2 is connected via a wire harness and can communicate with the ECU 22. Further, the EDU 6 is provided with a ROM 61 as a storage means, and each injector 3A to 3D stores correction data which is individual data for four cylinders in a one-to-one correspondence. An EEPROM is used as the ROM 61.

EDU 6 provided with ROM 61 and EC
The U22 is connected to a signal line for controlling the injectors 3A to 3D, a signal line for reading data from the ROM 61 and a signal line for a clock, and the ECU 22 is connected to the R22.
The correction data stored in the OM 61 can be read out. Here, since the ROM 61 is provided in an electronic device such as the EDU 6 that exchanges signals with the ECU 22, the ground line is unnecessary. In addition, ROM6
Since the correction data for four cylinders are collectively stored in 1 for each of the injectors, the number of signal lines connected to the ECU 22 can be very small as compared with the case where a resistor or a ROM is used for each injector. The power supply of the ROM 61 is supplied from the power supply unit of the EDU 6.

Further, the EDU 6 is provided with an external terminal which communicates with a data write signal line and a clock signal line of the ROM 61, and the ROM 61 can be written from the outside.

The ECU 22 controls the pumping amount from the pump 5 to the common rail 4 based on the common rail pressure detected by the pressure sensor 7 provided on the common rail 4, and adjusts the common rail pressure. Further, detection signals such as fuel temperature and engine oil temperature are input to the ECU 22.
These sensors (not shown) that output these detection signals form an engine assembly 21 in the engine room 11.

The ECU 22 also communicates with the EDU 6 and basically performs general fuel injection control and ignition control.
The fuel injection control will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 shows an initial routine. First,
Initialize each part (step S101) and EDU
6 and the correction data in the ROM 61 is fetched (step S102). The correction data imported is E
The data is stored in a predetermined address of the RAM of the CU 22 (step S103).

FIG. 4 is an angle synchronization routine that rises in synchronization with the crank angle. In the case of four cylinders, it is executed every 180 ° CA. First, operating condition parameters such as throttle opening and engine speed are read (step S20).
1), the injection amount and injection timing are calculated based on the operating conditions (step S202).

The basic injection pulse time is calculated based on the obtained injection amount and injection timing (step S203).

In step S204, the injection cylinder number is read and the correction amount of the injection pulse time is calculated. Here, the correction amount is calculated based on the correction data stored in the RAM.

In step S205, the corrected injection pulse time is calculated by adding or subtracting the basic injection pulse time by the correction amount.

The corrected injection pulse time is set in a predetermined register, and the EDU 6 is set at a predetermined timing (injection timing).
The drive pulse is output to. Then, the EDU 6 drives the injectors 3A to 3D of the selected cylinder. For example, if the injectors 3A to 3D operate by the piezoelectric action of the piezo stack, the EDU 6 charges the piezo stack at the rising edge of the driving pulse and discharges the piezo stack at the falling edge of the driving pulse. As a result, the needle opens and the fuel injection is executed substantially corresponding to the output period of the drive pulse.

Fuel injection from the injectors 3A to 3D is controlled in this way. FIG. 5 shows the injection amount with respect to the injection pulse time, and the solid line shows the injectors 3A to 3D when the injection pulse time is set to the basic injection pulse time.
Shows the standard fuel injection characteristics that should be shown. On the other hand, if the actual injection characteristics of the injectors 3A to 3D are deviated as indicated by the broken line, the injection amount becomes insufficient or excessive if the basic injection pulse time obtained based on the operating state is injected. become. By adjusting the basic injection pulse time based on the correction data of the injectors 3A to 3D transferred from the EDU 6, the desired injection characteristics can be realized for all the injectors 3A to 3D.

This correction data is sent to each injector 3A ...
It belongs exclusively to 3D, and the RO of EDU6 is as follows.
Written to M61. That is, the injector 3A-
QR codes 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D by laser marking or the like are formed on the surface of each 3D.
The QR codes 31A to 31D are formed in the manufacturing process of the injectors 3A to 3D. That is, a characteristic test regarding fuel injection is performed on each completed injector 3A to 3D, and a deviation from the reference fuel injection characteristic is obtained from the characteristic test. A correction amount is set based on this deviation, and this is set to QR
It will be coded.

FIG. 6 shows a system for reading the QR codes 31A to 31D and writing them in the ROM 61.
The QR code reader 81 and the control personal computer 82 are used. The QR code reader 81 reads the QR codes 31A to 31D of the injectors 3A to 3D and writes them in the ROM 61 of the EDU 6. Alternatively, FIG.
As shown in, the QR code reader 81 may write in the ROM 61 of the EDU 6 via the ECU 22.

FIG. 8 shows a process of assembling the engine assembly 21 in the engine factory and a process of assembling the vehicle from the vehicle parts including the engine assembly 21 in the vehicle assembly factory until the vehicle is completed. The engine system 2 of the invention (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a process of the present invention) and the engine system having a ROM storing injector correction data in the ECU (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a conventional process) are also combined. Shows. Prior to the main process, the conventional process will be described first. Two types of conventional processes are shown.

The first conventional process uses an inspection ECU for the performance inspection of the engine assembly in the engine factory. First, a movable member such as a piston and a crankshaft, various actuators and sensors are assembled around a large component such as a cylinder block.

Then, the inspection ECU stores the correction data of the engine assembly for performing the performance inspection. The inspection ECU can perform basically the same control as the ECU that constitutes the engine assembly to be inspected and the engine system, and is configured so that the injector correction data can be used to correct the injection pulse time. As the correction data, the QR code of the injector is read by the code reader and transferred to the inspection ECU.

As described above, in a state where the inspection ECU can use the correction data of the injector of the engine assembly to be inspected for the correction of the injection pulse time (see FIG. 4),
Perform engine performance inspection. When the engine performance inspection is completed, new correction data is transferred to the inspection ECU for the engine assembly to be inspected next, and sequentially,
Performance inspection is carried out.

When the engine assembly is carried into the vehicle assembly plant, vehicle parts including the engine assembly are assembled. At this time, the ECU is assembled in a process different from the process of mounting the engine assembly on the vehicle. Then, the correction data of the injector of the engine assembly mounted on the same vehicle is written in the ECU.

The correction data to be written is read by reading the QR code of the injector when the engine assembly is installed in the engine room and storing the read correction data in the computer together with the identification information of the engine assembly such as the serial number. The correction data used in the inspection ECU is sent to the production management computer of the vehicle assembly plant together with the engine assembly identification information. It should be noted that the former is not realistic because parts such as a valve mechanism are assembled in an extremely high density around the injector of the engine assembly.

Then, the vehicle is completed after the performance inspection of the vehicle.

Next, the second conventional process will be described.
Assemble the parts of the engine assembly, read the QR code from the injector, and read the ROM of the ECU.
Write in. The ECU is not actually used for inspection as in the first conventional process but is actually mounted in the vehicle.
The engine performance inspection is performed in combination with this ECU. Then, the combined engine assembly and ECU are carried out as a set.

At the vehicle assembly plant, when assembling the vehicle parts, the combined engine and ECU are assembled in the same vehicle and the vehicle performance is inspected.

Next, the assembly of the fuel injection control device of this embodiment will be described. In the engine factory,
Assemble the engine assembly parts. At this time, the EDU 6 is assembled together with the injectors 3A to 3D as an engine assembly part. Then, read the QR codes 31A to 31D of the injectors 3A to 3D and E
Write to ROM 61 of DU6. With this, the combination of the injectors 3A to 3D and the EDU 6 is determined.

After the engine performance is inspected, the engine assembly is carried out to a vehicle assembly plant and assembled with other vehicle parts including the ECU 22. Here, the ECU 22 can be assembled without considering the combination with the engine. Then, the vehicle is completed through a vehicle performance inspection.

Now, in the first conventional process, the QR code of the injector is read in the engine factory, and the ECU
The correction data must be written to the ROM of the vehicle assembly factory. The writing is performed by reading the correction data from the production management computer at the station where the ECU is mounted. Therefore, when checking the engine assembly manufacturing number and reading the correction data to be written in the ROM, there is a risk of inconsistency between the injector and the correction data in the ROM. That is,
Even if there is no problem in the performance inspection at the engine factory, the performance inspection at the engine factory is meaningless as far as the consistency between the injector and the ROM in which the correction data is stored is concerned.

Further, in the second conventional process, the engine assembly and the ECU are carried out as a set, but they must be strictly controlled so that the combinations do not become inconsistent. Moreover, at a vehicle assembly plant, the engine assembly and the ECU are not installed at the same station on the assembly line, so it is necessary to confirm the serial number of the engine assembly to identify the ECU to be assembled. When assigning the serial number of the engine assembly combined with the ECU at the factory, or when confirming the serial number of the engine assembly at the vehicle assembly plant to identify the ECU to be assembled, the injector and ROM Inconsistency with the correction data may occur. That is, as in the case of the first conventional process, even if there is no problem in performing the performance inspection in the engine factory, the performance inspection is meaningless as far as the consistency between the injector and the ROM in which the correction data is stored is concerned.

On the other hand, in the process of the present invention, when the EDU 6 provided with the injectors 3A to 3D and the ROM 61 is assembled, the codes 31A to 31D are read and the RO is performed.
Since writing to M61 is performed, if there is no problem after performing a performance inspection at the engine factory, the combination of the injector at this time and the ROM storing the correction data is
It will be the final combination when the vehicle is completed. Therefore,
There is no risk of inconsistency between the injector and the correction data of the ROM, and the performance inspection is not meaningless.

Further, in the first conventional process, the injector correction data is finally stored in the ECU of the vehicle.
It is necessary to store not only the OM but also the ROM of the inspection ECU. On the other hand, in the proposed process, it is sufficient to write the data in the ROM 61 of the EDU 5 in the engine factory prior to the performance inspection, so that the number of processes in the vehicle assembly factory can be reduced.

Further, the EDU 6 provided with the ROM 61
Unlike the ECU 22, it does not need to be replaced except for a defect or a failure because it does not require a small change.
There is almost no need to read the 3D QR codes 31A to 31D after the vehicle is on the market and write the ROM 61.

In the present embodiment, an example in which the correction for canceling the individual difference of the injector is performed has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to the case of performing the correction for canceling the individual difference of the actuator other than the injector. Further, not only the actuator but also a case where the ECU performs the correction for canceling the individual difference in the detection characteristics of the sensor, for example, the pressure sensor that detects the common rail pressure can be applied. In this case, by further storing the correction data for the actuators and sensors other than these injectors together with the correction data for the injectors in the ROM of the EDU, higher accuracy can be achieved.

The electronic device provided with the ROM is an EDU.
However, the electronic device is not limited to the above, and may be any electronic device mounted in the engine room and capable of exchanging signals with the ECU. For example, an intelligent actuator such as an electronic throttle having a calculation unit and a drive circuit and adjusting the actual opening so that the opening command value from the ECU can be considered. Further, the ECU is configured not only to exchange signals with the ECU but also to configure the ECU.
It may be a node that configures a LAN including. in this case,
Since individual data can be read using the communication line connecting the nodes, a new signal line is not required, which is desirable.

The electronic device provided with the ROM is desirable as long as it is an electronic device constituting an engine assembly, because it can be assembled together with the injector in the engine factory as in the present embodiment.

Further, the specific specifications of the present invention are not limited to those described in the above embodiment, but are arbitrary as long as they do not violate the gist of the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an engine system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a part of the engine system.

FIG. 3 is a first flowchart showing a control procedure executed by an ECU of the engine system.

FIG. 4 is a second flowchart showing a control procedure executed by the ECU of the engine system.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a relationship between a fuel injection amount and an injection pulse time of the engine system.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a system that writes correction data into a ROM of an EDU of the engine system.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of another system that writes correction data into a ROM of an EDU of the engine system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an assembling process of the engine system and a vehicle equipped with the same, and an assembling process of a conventional engine system and a vehicle equipped with the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vehicle 11 engine room 12 vehicle room 2 engine system 21 engine assembly 22 ECU (control unit) 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D injector (actuator) 31A, 31B, 31C, 31D QR code 4 common rail 5 pump 6 EDU (electronic device, Drive unit) 61 ROM (storage means) 7 Pressure sensor (sensor) 81 QR code reader 82 Personal computer

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An actuator or a sensor provided in an engine room, and a control unit for calculating a command value for the operation of the actuator or a detection value of the sensor, the control unit individually controlling the actuator or the sensor. In an engine system that corrects the command value or the detection value so that individual differences of the actuator or the sensor cancel each other based on individual data, provided in the engine room, of the signal between the control unit and An engine system characterized in that a storage means for storing the individual data is provided in an electronic device for transmitting and receiving. 2. The engine system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is an electronic component forming an engine assembly. 3. The engine system according to claim 2, wherein the electronic device is a drive unit that drives the actuator based on a command value calculated by the control unit.