JP2004116523A - Control method and device for internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control method and a device for an internal combustion engine capable of being used for exact correct data and composed at a low cost. <P>SOLUTION: The data can be written on a data carrier with a controller. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine, in which data is read from a data carrier assigned to at least one actuator by a control device and used for control, wherein the data carrier contains data representing the actuator. .

There are known a control method and a control device for an internal combustion engine in which a control device reads data from a data carrier and uses the data for control. Here, the data carrier is assigned to at least one actuator and contains data representing this actuator. For example, for injectors which meter fuel to the internal combustion engine as a function of the drive signal, a data carrier containing correction values for compensating for the errors of the individual injectors operates together.

At this time, the correction data is obtained immediately before the end of the manufacture of the injector, and is read into the data carrier. The data carrier can be configured as a barcode or a read-only memory element. This data is read into the control device during the initial initialization of the control device and is used for controlling the internal combustion engine in a later drive.

The control device of the present invention also has various functional units for determining correction values to be made to correspond to the injectors. This function unit includes, for example, a zero amount correction unit. The data for this is usually stored in the control unit and used for controlling the internal combustion engine.

、 In normal cases, the individual injection amount of the injector is detected at a plurality of inspection points. In this case, each injection amount is obtained by deviating from the target value. These data are attached to the injector in an appropriate format when the injector is completed. The data is transmitted to the controller via a suitable system, such as a camera system or a diagnostic interface, during engine installation and / or during vehicle assembly.

When the control unit is replaced, the data stored in the injector must be newly read in via the diagnostic interface or the camera system. Other correction values already determined by the control unit are transmitted from the old control unit to the new control unit. At this time, the diagnostic interface and / or the control device and / or the service tester require a dedicated function unit. For this reason, replacement of the control device is very costly.

A method is also known in which a correction value is further stored in a non-volatile memory provided in the injector itself, and transmitted from a unique device to the control device when the control device is initialized. In this case, the data is only transmitted from the injector to the control device during initialization. The problem that other correction values are lost due to replacement of the control device cannot be avoided by this type of method.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine that can utilize accurate correction data and can be configured at low cost.

This problem is solved by the fact that the data can be written on the data carrier by the control device.

The control device writes the data into the data carrier, so that the control device can be easily replaced in the event of a failure. Replacement of parts, especially the control device, can be performed without any problem without using a manufacturer-specific tool or tester.

Particularly preferably, the data determined in the closed-loop control and / or the open control for each cylinder are written. These data represent the state of the actuator. These data are determined, for example, by the zero-amount correction unit and / or the amount-compensation control unit and are written in the data carrier.

Advantageously, the data carrier forms a structural unit with the actuator. This ensures that the data corresponds to the corresponding actuator. There is no data mix up.

Advantageously, the device according to the invention is used for an actuator configured as an injector for injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine.

Advantageously, the method and apparatus of the present invention can be combined. Here, the control device and the actuator are connected via at least one data line and at least one further line, via which data can be written and / or read from the control device to the data carrier. In this case, at the beginning of the data transmission, at least one further line is connected to ground and / or to the supply voltage for a predetermined duration. This means that before the start of data transmission, the first line is connected to the supply voltage via the first switching means for a predetermined duration. During data transmission, at least one further line is connected to ground and / or to a supply voltage. This means that during data transmission the second line is connected to ground via the second switching means. At this time, the predetermined duration is selected so that the actuator does not respond. Data transmission is performed in a predetermined driving state.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a control device for an internal combustion engine. The control device has the reference number 100. The actuator is provided with the reference number 200. The control device 100 has a control unit 110 including a plurality of functional units. These are, for example, the so-called amount compensation control unit 112 and / or the zero amount correction unit 114. The control unit applies a drive signal to the first switching means 120 (hereinafter also referred to as a high side switch) and the second switching means 125 (hereinafter also referred to as a low side switch). A first terminal of the first switching means is connected to the power supply voltage Ubat, and a second terminal is connected to the actuator 200. The first terminal of the second switching means is connected to ground, and the second terminal is similarly connected to the actuator 200 via the low-side line 135. The control unit of the control device is connected to the actuator 200 via the data line 140.

The actuator 200 mainly has loads 250 or data carriers 260 in addition to mechanical and / or hydraulic components not shown. High side line 130 is connected to data carrier 260 and load 250. The low side line 135 is likewise connected to the data carrier 260 and the load 250. The data line 240 connects the control unit 110 and the data carrier 260.

The load 250 is configured as an electromagnetic load, for example, a magnet valve in the illustrated embodiment. Although shown as a single load in the present technique, the present invention can be applied to multiple actuators. An actuator may have one or more loads. The load is configured as a magnet valve and / or as a piezo actuator.

When multiple actuators are provided, a single high-side switch is typically provided for multiple actuators and / or for each group of actuators. On the other hand, the low-side switch is assigned to each actuator. The actuator is preferably an injector used in a common rail system. However, the means of the present invention is not limited to application to the injector alone, but can be used with other actuators, such as a pump nozzle unit.

Usually, the control unit generates a drive signal, whereby the high-side switch and / or the low-side switch is operated. As a result, the load is energized accordingly and the fuel metering is enabled for a predetermined duration from a defined point in time.

The data carrier is advantageously designed to be readable and writable. That is, the control unit can write data to the data carrier 260 and read data from the data carrier 260. Advantageously, the data carrier 260 has a memory means and other elements necessary for reading and / or writing the memory.

(4) A data line may be provided for each actuator, or a data line connecting all the actuators may be provided, depending on how data transmission is performed.

The control unit includes various functional units. For example, an IMA process unit is provided. In this process section, the injection quantity of each injector is detected at a plurality of inspection points. Such inspection is performed just before the end of production of the injector. At this time, each injection amount is detected with a deviation from the target value. That information is associated with the injector by the data carrier. Various means are known for this purpose. At the first use of the control device, the data is read into the control device in an appropriate manner and is later used for controlling the internal combustion engine. In this case, the injection amount of each injector is corrected so that the desired injection fuel amount is adjusted by intentionally changing the driving time of the injector.

Also, a zero amount correction unit (so-called NMK unit) is usually provided. In this process section, the drive time for fuel metering is determined. For this purpose, in each injector to be tested, in a predetermined driving state (for example, engine braking operation), the driving time is extended until an injection is identified on the basis of a characteristic signal. The zero mass determined in this way is used as a lower operating limit of the injected fuel quantity for triggering the formation of the torque recognized by the speed signal. Drifts in the injection quantity of the pre-injection are identified and compensated for by such a process. At this time, the control device stores the determined operation limit value in the nonvolatile rewritable memory for several cycles.

Further, a quantity compensation control unit (a so-called MAR unit) is also provided. Here, a control circuit is provided for controlling a parameter representing the number of revolutions for each cylinder to a common target value for all cylinders. Such quantity compensation controls often include a control circuit that forms the integral component. The value of the integral component represents the fuel quantity error of the corresponding cylinder to which the control circuit is assigned. Therefore, normally, the integral components of the individual control circuits are stored in a nonvolatile rewritable memory as in the case described above.

According to the invention, the data corresponding to the individual cylinders or injectors is stored in a non-volatile and / or rewritable memory in the control unit or additionally in the data carrier 260 of the respective actuator. . That is, for example, data of the zero amount correction unit, data of the amount compensation control unit, and data of another process unit that sends parameters corresponding to the actuator are written to the data carrier 260.

This has the advantage of ensuring data consistency when replacing individual components (especially the control unit), without providing additional measures (for example, diagnostic testers) or additional No action is required. All readable and writable memory elements, such as EEPROM memories, can be used as data carriers. This ensures that all functions can use the data of the individual actuators. All adaptation algorithms that seek and store data on individual actuators are performed optimally for logistics and in a service-friendly manner.

According to the invention, the writing and reading of the data carrier takes place via an additional data line 140. For the writing and reading of data, the data carrier requires a memory as well as additional functional units which ensure communication with the control unit. In particular, the means described below must be supported by the data carrier 260. The exchange of data takes place advantageously in a drive state in which, for example, the rail pressure is too low to allow injection. Such a situation occurs, for example, during initialization of the control device and / or during post-running after the rail pressure has dropped. In this case, injection by hydraulic pressure is not performed. When the control unit or control detects this, the following process takes place.

で は In the first step, both the high side switch and the low side switch are closed. An electric current is generated, which passes through a load 250 which is driven by injection. Here, the driving of at least one switching means, for example a high-side switch or a low-side switch, does not generate enough current to cause injection, i.e., the drive is performed only for such a short time that the load does not respond to energization. It is configured as follows. Here, similarly to the drive of the switching means, a current pulse is applied to one actuator, whereby selection is performed. This current is identified by the data carrier 260. After the initialization of the data carrier, the low-side switch remains closed and the high-side switch is advantageously opened again. Data exchange via the data line is performed from the time when the high side switch is closed. Since all injectors or a group of injectors are connected to one common high-side switch and the injector coils have only a small internal resistance, all low-side switches are connected by a short circuit. This makes it impossible to select an injector in the control device by closing the low-side switch. For this reason, a short current pulse at the corresponding injector initiates data communication when the data line is active. A possible injection at this point is undesirable, but is eliminated by at least one of the two blocking means. These blocking means may be implemented individually and / or in combination. The first means is to perform communication only in a predetermined driving state, and the second means is to shorten the driving time of the high side switch so that no response of the actuator occurs.

通信 Advantageously, communication is not initialized during the injection. This is because no signal is applied to the data line at this time.

The corresponding signal characteristics are shown by way of example in FIG. In FIG. 2, with respect to time T, a indicates the switching state of the high-side switch, b indicates the switching state of the low-side switch, and c indicates the state of the data line 140. At time T1, a driving state in which data transmission is possible occurs. From this point on, both the high-side switch and the low-side switch are in the conducting state. Further, the data line becomes active. At time T2, the high-side switch is again turned off. As a result, the high-side switch and the low-side switch are both closed between the time T1 and the time T2, and the current flows through the load 250 for a short time. Based on this current pulse, the data carrier 260 identifies that a data transmission has taken place. This identification preferably takes place when the data line is active and has short-duration pulses.

The state in which data transmission is reported is distinguished from the drive state of the load in which the data line is active and the predetermined drive state occurs. The driving state of the high-side switch and the low-side switch is common, and they are operated to be conductive. This is the same in the other state. When the high-side switch and the low-side switch are operated, the load 250 is energized.

(4) Data transmission is performed via the data line 140 from the time T2 when the high-side switch is turned off. This is indicated by the dotted line in FIG. The data transmission ends at time T3. This is signaled from the control unit to the data carrier, the low-side switch goes into a non-conductive state as before, and the data line is no longer active.

Advantageously, means with separate data lines eliminate the need for a ground terminal on the actuator of the data carrier.

手段 The means of the present invention have been described with reference to the embodiment of the load having the magnet valve. Here, a single high-side switch is provided for each group of loads, and one low-side switch is provided for each load. However, instead of this, the functions of the high side switch and the low side switch may be exchanged. Further, a configuration in which a single switching means is provided for each load can be applied.

The means of the present invention is not limited to only an actuator having a magnet valve. The invention can also be used with one or more movable elements with piezo actuators.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing main elements of the device of the present invention.

It is a signal diagram regarding time.

Explanation of reference numerals

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 control device 110 control unit 112 amount compensation control unit 114 zero amount correction unit 120, 125 switching means 130 high side line 135 low side line 140 data line 200 actuator 250 load 260 data carrier

Claims (5)

Reading data from the data carrier assigned to the at least one actuator by the control device and using the data for control;
Wherein the data carrier contains data representing the actuator in question;
In a control method for an internal combustion engine,
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine, wherein data can be written to a data carrier by a control device. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data of the zero amount correction unit and / or the amount compensation control unit can be written. Data is read from the data carrier assigned to the at least one actuator by the control device and used for control,
Wherein the data carrier contains data representing the actuator in question;
In the control device of the internal combustion engine,
A control device for an internal combustion engine, characterized in that data is written to a data carrier by the control device. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the data carrier forms a structural unit with the actuator. The device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator is configured as an injector for injecting fuel into the internal combustion engine.

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