JP2004360682A - Control method for a plurality of fuel injection valves of internal combustion engine and control equipment of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a conventional method and a control apparatus for drive controls of a plurality of injection valves of an internal combustion engine so that, in selecting a measurement value indicating the drive control performed on a selected injection valve, a measurement values is capable of indicating a perfect injection cycle. <P>SOLUTION: This method for the drive controls of the plurality of fuel injection valves (200-1, -n) of the internal combustion engine includes: a step for setting the injection cycle using at least one injection characteristic relative to each fuel injection valve (200-1, -n); a step for the drive control of actuators (210-n) relative to respective injection valves (200-1, -n) in response to the setting; a step for measuring the value of at least one electric characteristic indicating the drive controls of the actuators (210-n) performed on the injection valves (200-1, -n) and selecting the measurement value indicating drive control performed on a injection valve selected from the plurality of injection valves, and performs the selection in a period of a predetermined monitoring time window. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention includes a step of setting an injection cycle using at least one injection characteristic for each individual fuel injection valve, a step of performing drive control of actuators respectively corresponding to the injection valves in response to the setting, Measuring the value of at least one electrical characteristic quantity representing the drive control of the actuator performed on the injection valve and selecting a measurement value representing the drive control performed by the selected injection valve from among a large number of steps; And a method for controlling the operation of a plurality of fuel injectors of an internal combustion engine.

  Such a method and a control device are known from the prior art, in particular from European Patent Application EP 1 138 902 A1. According to this application, a control device includes a control device and an actuating device, which actuates an actuator of an injection valve of an internal combustion engine in response to an injection cycle set by the control device. The actual actuation of the actuators or injection valves is monitored by means of a measuring device. The measurement device supplies a plurality of measurements to an analog-to-digital converter, which converts the plurality of measurements into a digital signal in response to a trigger signal. In order to guarantee a unique correspondence between the measured value applied to the input of the analog / digital converter and the selected fuel injector or cylinder of the internal combustion engine, in the earlier European patent application each selected It is suggested that only those injectors that are not monitored by a corresponding measured value detection, or that only trigger signals for the actuators of the selected injector are always generated. Only the current measured value of the selected injector is thereby converted analog-to-digital and is subsequently evaluated (see 0072 of the aforementioned patent document).

In addition to the advantages described above, the approach described in the European patent application also has the following disadvantages. That is, there is an uncertain element in grasping the measured value of the selected fuel injection valve. Thus, for example, under the above-mentioned method, it is not possible to guarantee that the injection cycle, which can usually include several injection processes, is reliably and completely represented by a predetermined number of measurements.
European Patent Application EP 1 138 902 A1 Specification

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a conventional method and control apparatus for controlling the operation of a plurality of injection valves of an internal combustion engine. An improvement is to be made in the selection of the measured values that represent the perfect injection period.

  The problem is solved according to the invention in that the selection is made during a predetermined monitoring time window.

  The solution to the above-described problem applies to the case where the actual injection cycle is set for each individual injection valve. Such a setting does not take place under all possible operating conditions of the internal combustion engine. In particular, such a setting does not occur when the engine brake is operating. In this case, it is set so that the drive control of the injection valve is not performed. If the internal combustion engine is absent or its control is functioning without error, no drive control of the injection valve is performed on the basis of the setting and no measured value is measured accordingly.

  Nevertheless, such a selection of non-existing measurements is made. The concept of "selection" should be understood in the present invention as follows. That is, this is an inspection related to the presence or absence of actual measurement value generation according to the setting. According to the invention, this selection or examination only exists during a preset monitoring time window. Such a solution to the above-mentioned problem is also represented by a method according to claim 2.

  The electrical characteristic quantity for controlling the actuation of the injector of the injection valve can be a voltage or a current, preferably a charge.

  For the solutions described thus far, a proper choice of the starting time and the length or duration of the monitoring time window ensure that all measured values representing the complete injection cycle are known. . This monitoring time window is such that the resources for monitoring and evaluating the measurement events for a given fuel injector, i.e. the resources for the control unit, are limited to a minimum time cost, so that this resource is, for example, the other injector. Or within the shortest time for monitoring the cylinder readings.

  In order to determine the start time and the end time or the duration of the monitoring time window, the monitoring time window is preferably designed and positioned as a function of the position and angle of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.

  The above-mentioned problem is further solved by two control devices. Under these control devices, the control device sets one monitoring time window each. A dedicated selection of the measured values for the selected injector is made. The advantages of the control device formed in this way correspond to the advantages described in connection with the method described above.

  Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

  Next, the present invention will be described in detail in the following specification based on the drawings.

  It is clear from FIG. 1 that the control device 100 consists essentially of the control device 110 and the actuation device 120. This control device 110 may advantageously be formed as a microcontroller. The control device sets the injection time for each injection cycle, and sets the injection time for each of the fuel injection valves 200-1... N of the internal combustion engine for each injection cycle.

A typical injection cycle is shown in FIG. This injection cycle has sub strokes H2 and H3 in addition to the main stroke H1. To realize this kind of injection cycle, the control device 110 sets, for example, the following. That is, when to start charging the actuator for a predetermined injection valve, for example, injection valve 200-1 (time t _{AL in} FIG. 2), and when to end this charging (time t _{EL in} FIG. 2). Set. Further, control device 110 sets how long charging to be performed on the following scale should be maintained. That is, the discharge of the actuator is started at time t _AE , and this is ended again at time t _EE . The setting of the charging / discharging period for one such actuator determines the associated nozzle stroke and the amount of fuel to be injected during the respective stroke period, depending on the charging provided to the actuator per time unit. In order to determine the complete injection cycle, the instruction is given by the control device 110 not only for the main stroke H1 but also for all sub-strokes H2 and H3.

  The control device 110 gives a setting instruction for such an injection cycle to 200-1... N not only for one fuel injection valve but also for n fuel injection valves. In this case, the injection cycles may overlap in time. In FIG. 1, if one parallel line is provided, this information is transmitted from the control device 110 to the operating device 120 for controlling the injection cycle. The actuation device 120 replaces this setting from the control device 110 with precise instructions for controlling the actuation of the actuators assigned to the respective injection valves 200-1 ... n.

  The parameter n represents a predetermined cylinder of the internal combustion engine or an injection valve assigned to the cylinder or an actuator assigned to the injection valve.

  FIG. 3 shows that the injection valve 200-n is not directly driven but is driven and controlled via an actuator 210-n assigned to the injection valve 200-n. This drive control is performed by charging the actuator, as described above. The drive control of the injection valve 200-n or the drive control of its actuator 210-n is controlled by monitoring appropriate measured values. In this case, the measured value is, for example, the voltage Sn picked up via the respective actuator 210-n or a predetermined part thereof, or the current I flowing through the respective actuated actuator 210-n (this is the measuring resistance 220 -N). This current, by definition, provides information about the change in the amount of charge delivered to the actuator over time.

In practice, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2, the amount of charge existing at the end of the charging process for the actuator can be measured, for example, by evaluating the current as described above. The corresponding measurement time points are represented in FIG. 2 by hollow arrows pointing downwards respectively on the top plane of each stroke. At these times, L1 _t1 , L1 _t2 , and L1 _t3 are measured as the charged amounts, respectively. In a similar manner, the voltage Sn falling via the actuator 210-n is usually measured just before the end of the charging process under each stroke of a cycle. Specifically, in FIG. 2, the low voltages S1 _t1 , S1 _t2 , and S1 _t3 are generated immediately in this manner.

FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. In the center of FIG. 4, first, on the basis of the selection signal _{S A} generated by the control device 110, selecting switch selects the predetermined injection valve 200-1,200-2,200-n are provided for the 124 is performed. For the injector selected in this way, in the example shown in FIG. 4, selection of the desired electrical measurand continues under injector 200-1 (n = 1). Is The selection of this electrical measurement, for example the charge L or the voltage S or the other electrical quantity X, is effected by means of a selection switch 124, preferably a multiplexer 122 associated with the actuator 120. In response to the control signal _{S B} generated by the controller 110 or actuating apparatus 120 itself, the multiplexer 122, the order is set for the injector 200-1 preselected by the second control signal _{S B} Then, the quantity of electricity generated on the input side is selected as the measured value. In this way, at the output of the multiplexer 122, the charge amount L1 and the voltage S1 measured at the injector 200-1 are likewise shown in an alternating order in FIG. These measured values are based on the drive control of the first injection valve 200-1 actually performed along the time series t1, t2, t3 or the injection cycle actually realized with respect thereto (for example, FIG. 2). (Shown). In this case time t ₁ is the time of the earlier than time t _2, also the time t ₂ is the time of the earlier than time point t _3.

The above-mentioned measured values are transmitted to the analog / digital converter 112 of the control device 110 via the output side of the multiplexer 122 composed of only a single wire. The converter converts the measured value from analog to digital in response to a trigger signal generated according to a predetermined injection period. This trigger signal
It is preferably generated at the end of the performed charging or discharging process, for example in response to a signal generated by the actuator 120. According to the invention, the monitoring time window B for an individual injection valve, in the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, included in the signal S _A and S _B described above. The signals S _A and S _B set the cylinder to be monitored set by the controller 110. Signal S _A is, in addition to the injection valve / cylinder selected, defines the start and end of the monitoring time window. That is, from the moment when the measured value is provided to the analog / digital converter 112 for further evaluation by the controller 110 until the end thereof. The signal SB sets a physical measurement, that is, a charge or voltage for each injection valve to be monitored.

The monitoring time window advantageously spans a crankshaft angle (KW) range of 720 °. This 720 degree crankshaft angle corresponds to two revolutions of the crankshaft. According to this range, one complete injection cycle of the injection valve, which is selected by the control device 110 in advance, is barred. In this case, the monitoring time window is selected as follows depending on its position with respect to the injection cycle. That is, it is selected that there is still a predetermined remaining time between the start of the monitoring time window and the injection process at the beginning of the cycle, and between the injection process at the end of the cycle and the end of the monitoring time window. A major advantage of the present invention is that the complete injection cycle falls within the monitoring time window, and in particular the first injection process of the cycle falls anyway within the monitoring time window anyway. Guaranteed. Therefore, they can be completely understood. Advantageously, between two successive monitoring time windows, there is a temporal pause, which in crankshaft angle is:
Δφ = 720 ゜ / number of cylinders of internal combustion engine (1)
Represented by

  Therefore, in the case of a six-cylinder internal combustion engine, the idle period between these two consecutive monitoring time windows is 120 degrees in crankshaft angle. Table 1 below exemplarily shows how this monitoring time window accurately evaluates one cylinder of the internal combustion engine and is distributed over the rotation of the crankshaft.

前述した本発明の第１実施例においては、監視すべき噴射弁ないしシリンダの選択並びに当該噴射弁に対応する測定値の選択が既に制御装置１１０外で行われることが重要となる。

In the first embodiment of the invention described above, it is important that the selection of the injection valve or cylinder to be monitored and the selection of the measured value corresponding to the injection valve have already been performed outside the control device 110.

  In contrast, the selection of the measurement data for the selected injection valve is first performed in the control device 110 in a second embodiment of the invention described below.

  FIG. 5 shows this second embodiment. Here, the measurement data L1, S1, S2 of the various injection valves are applied at each point in time to the parallel inputs of an analog / digital converter 112 'of the control device 110. In response to the trigger signal Tr (which is generated in the second embodiment in the same manner as described in the first embodiment), each input side of the analog / digital converter 112 'is Are read into it and are converted therefrom into corresponding digital measurements L1 ', S2', S3 '. After this analog-to-digital conversion, according to the second embodiment, the selection of the respective desired, ie, the measured value representing the selected injection valve is performed. This is the charge L1 'delivered to the first injector according to FIG. Even in the case of the second embodiment, this selection is made within the monitoring time window described in relation to the first embodiment.

  According to FIG. 5, the triggering, that is, the trigger for the analog / digital conversion is performed before the selection in a time series. Therefore, it is assumed that this triggering is also performed within the monitoring time window.

  According to the invention, the selected measurements can still be evaluated without depending on whether the selection of the measurements is performed according to the first embodiment or according to the second embodiment.

  The evaluation of the selected measurement is, in any case, performed only if this measurement has been successfully validated beforehand. Within this plausibility check, first the actual number of measured values actually selected during the monitoring time window is determined. This actual number is subsequently compared with a predetermined target number of measurements for the same monitoring time window. Under the two solutions proposed in the present invention, that is, in the case of performing the setting for drive control of the injection valve, or in the case of performing the setting of not performing the drive control, The control device 110 identifies the target number of measured values to be estimated before the respective monitoring time window for a given cylinder is activated. In particular, in the latter case, that is, in the case where the drive control is not performed, the number of target values is of course zero. In this latter case, the desired value / actual value comparison is used for the operation of the torque release in the internal combustion engine. This information is important for monitoring purposes when it is desired to avoid undesired acceleration of a vehicle incorporating the internal combustion engine.

  By means of a target / actual value comparison of the number of measurements per monitoring time window, it is checked whether all measurements have actually been detected. In this way, it is possible in some cases to identify faults that have occurred during the measurement. The use of the selected measurement for evaluation is only performed if the measurement performed is identified as error-free based on the target / actual value comparison. Otherwise, the selected measurement is discarded and no evaluation is performed.

  The evaluation performed is preferentially used to identify temporal changes in the drive control characteristics of each injector.

  Such changes or fluctuations are due in particular to changes in the displacement of the actuator of the injection valve. Because it can change depending on temperature and aging. Information about this type of change can be used, for example, as a drive control parameter that adapts the amount of charge provided to the actuator to the capacity where the change occurred. As a result, it is possible to accurately inject the desired fuel amount actually required from the injector.

  The invention is advantageously implemented in the form of a computer program for the control device. Such a computer program may be stored on a computer-readable data carrier, possibly together with further computer programs for open-loop or closed-loop control of other control devices. This data carrier may be a floppy disk, a compact disk, or a so-called flash memory. Computer programs stored on these data carriers can also be sold as products to customer users.

  It is also possible for this computer program to be transmitted and sold to customers via electronic communication networks, in particular the Internet, possibly with further computer programs (without the assistance of a data carrier).

Diagram showing a control device and an injection valve connected to the control device Diagram showing a typical injection cycle Actuator circuit with measuring device First embodiment of the present invention Second embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of reference numerals

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Control device 110 Control device 120 Actuator 200-n Injection valve 210-n Actuator 220-n Measured resistance

Claims (21)

A method for drive control of a plurality of fuel injection valves (200-1 ... n) of an internal combustion engine,
Setting an injection cycle using at least one injection characteristic for each individual fuel injection valve (200-1 ... n);
Performing drive control of actuators (210-n) respectively corresponding to the injection valves (200-1... N) in a response to the setting;
Measuring a value of at least one electrical characteristic quantity representing drive control of the actuator (210-n) performed on the fuel injection valve (200-1 ... n);
A method of the type comprising the step of selecting a measured value representative of the performed actuation of the selected injection valve from a number.
The method of claim 11, wherein said selecting is performed during a predetermined monitoring time window. A method for drive control of a plurality of fuel injection valves (200-1 ... n) during an internal combustion period,
Performing a setting in which drive control of the injection valve is not performed;
A method of the type comprising the step of not selecting the measurement value indicating that the drive control of the injection valve selected from the plurality has not been performed,
A method wherein the selection is made during a predetermined monitoring time window.   3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the start time and the end time or the duration of the monitoring time window are determined as a function of the position of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.   The method of claim 3, wherein the monitoring time window (B) has a crankshaft (KW) rotation angle range of 720 °. During two successive monitoring time windows, the following equation:
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein there is a dwell period of 720 DEG / crankshaft rotation angle obtained by the number of cylinders of the internal combustion engine.   6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the start time of the monitoring time window (B) lies before the first injection event of the injection period to be monitored for a predetermined duration.   All the injection valves or the cylinders of the internal combustion engine are monitored in sequence, in which case the respective measured values are selected periodically, in each case in an individually selected sequence, or in any other sequence. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein After the end of the monitoring time window, the selected measurements are validated, wherein the validation comprises the following steps:
Determine the actual number of measurements that were truly selected during the monitoring window,
Comparing the actual number of values with a preset target number of measurements for the monitoring time window,
If the number of actual values is equal to the number of target values,
Evaluate the selected measurement,
The method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein if the actual value number does not match the target value number, the selected measurement value is discarded. In a computer program for a control device for controlling the driving of a plurality of fuel injection valves (200-1... N) of an internal combustion engine,
Computer program characterized by having a program code suitable for performing a method according to one of the claims 1 to 8, executed on a computing device, in particular a microprocessor.   Computer program according to claim 9, wherein the computer program is stored on a data carrier. A control device (100) for driving and controlling a plurality of fuel injection valves (200-1... N) during an internal combustion period via actuators (210-n) respectively associated with the injection valves.
A control device (110) for setting an injection cycle with at least one injection event for each individual injection valve;
An actuator (120) for driving and controlling an injection valve via the actuator (210-n) in response to a set injection cycle;
A measuring device (220-n) for detecting and supplying at least one electrical characteristic quantity (L1, S1) as a measured value representing the implemented drive control of the actuator (220-n);
The control device (110) is of a type configured to cooperate with an actuator (120) to select a measure representative of a drive control performed on a selected injector;
A monitoring time window (B) is set by the control device (110), and during the period of the monitoring time window (B), measurement values for the selected injection valve are exclusively selected. Control equipment characterized by the following. A control device (100) for driving and controlling a plurality of fuel injection valves (200-1... N) during an internal combustion period,
A control device for setting that no drive control of the injection valve should be performed, and in this case advantageously for selecting no measurement value indicating that no drive control of the injection valve has been performed In a control device of the type containing (110),
A control device, characterized in that the control device (110) is configured to set a monitoring time window (B) in which selection is made exclusively.   13. The control device according to claim 11, wherein the start and end times or the duration of the monitoring time window (B) is dependent on the position of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.   A multiplexer (122) which, at the signal input thereof, simultaneously receives an electrical signal for at least one injection valve (200-1... N) which is respectively detected by a measuring device (220-n). Receive at least one measurement of the dynamic characteristic quantity (L1, S1, X1), and furthermore the multiplexer preferably outputs the measurement from its output, preferably by a control unit (110) 14. The control device according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the control device is configured to select each one of the measurements in response to a signal.   At the same time, at least one measurement value for the various injectors (200-1...) Is applied to the signal input of said multiplexer (122), and the control signal is determined for which of the injectors and which monitoring time window (B). 15. The control device according to claim 14, comprising information on whether to select a measurement value.   Under the simultaneous application of various measured values, in particular charge or voltage values for the injection valve, at the signal input of the multiplexer (122), the control signal shows the various measured values in each monitoring time window (B). The control device according to claim 14, wherein the control device includes information as to whether or not to be selected.   The output of the multiplexer (122) is connected to an analog / digital converter (122) associated with the control device (110), wherein the analog / digital converter (122) is selected. The control according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the measured value is converted from analog to digital in response to a trigger signal (Tr), and the trigger signal (Tr) is created according to a predetermined injection cycle. machine. Multiple analog / digital associated with controller (110) for sequential conversion of a plurality of applied measurements provided by measurement device (220-n) in response to trigger signal (Tr) A converter (112 ') is provided;
In this case, each of the n inputs of the analog / digital (112 ') is fixedly associated with a respective predetermined electrical measurement from a predetermined injection valve,
The control device (110) selects a measured value representing the executed drive control of the selected injection valve from the analog / digital converted measured value during the monitoring time window (B) set by itself. The control device according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the control device is configured to perform the control.   The actuating device (120) generates a trigger signal (Tr) by electrical charging at the end of a charging process or at the end of a discharging process of a selected injector actuator (210-n). Or the control device according to 18. The control device (110) includes:
A counter device for determining the actual number of values actually selected during the monitoring time window;
20. The control device according to any one of claims 11 to 19, further comprising a non-device for comparing the actual number of values with a predetermined target number of measurements for a monitoring time window (B).   The controller (110) evaluates the measured values that have not been abandoned for changes in the characteristics of the injection valve and adapts the target value delivery for the drive control of the actuator (210-n) for each injection cycle with the determined changes. 21. The control device according to claim 20, wherein the control device is configured to perform the control.

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