In a control device and a control method for an internal combustion engine according to the present invention, when a crank angle signal is behaving abnormally, a phase angle of an exhaust camshaft relative to a crankshaft is set to a reference phase angle, and a phase angle of an intake camshaft relative to the crankshaft is determined based on an intake cam signal and an exhaust cam signal. Furthermore, the phase difference between the exhaust cam signal generated when the relative phase angle of the exhaust camshaft is set to the reference phase angle and the intake cam signal generated when the relative phase angle of the intake camshaft is set to a target value is greater after a start-up of the internal combustion engine than during the start-up.

A method, control system, and variable valve timing system are provided for controlling an actuator that can be switched into an on state and an off state with pulse width modulation. The systems and method include controls configured to determine an actual system parameter on a first time schedule and a desired system parameter on a second time schedule. On a third time schedule, a position error difference between the actual system parameter and the desired system parameter is determined. The third time schedule is configured to begin and to determine the position error difference each time that the actual system parameter is determined and each time that the desired system parameter is determined. A desired duty cycle is determined, and a duty cycle command is sent to a pulse width modulation output unit.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine of a type that has a combustion chamber, a moveable valve having a seat formed in the combustion chamber, a camshaft on which a cam is mounted, and a rocker arm assembly having a rocker arm and a cam follower configured to engage the cam as the camshaft rotates. The method includes obtaining rocker arm position data, using the rocker arm position data to obtain camshaft position information, and using the camshaft position information in an engine management operation.

A method of noise filtering a sliding camshaft actuator pin position output signal includes determining an actual pin position output signal period of a sliding camshaft actuator that occurs within a predetermined output signal period measurement window and establishing a pin position output signal filter window based on the actual pin position output signal period. Thereafter, the actual pin position output signal period from the sliding camshaft actuator is monitored by a control module and signals that occur outside of the pin position output signal filter window are rejected accordingly to prevent responding to false triggers.

A camshaft phaser assembly, including: an axis of rotation; a first hydraulic camshaft phaser including a first stator arranged to receive rotational torque, a first rotor including a plurality of first through-bores, and a first plurality of phaser chambers circumferentially bounded by the first stator and the first rotor; a second hydraulic camshaft phaser including a second stator non-rotatably connected to the first stator, a second rotor, and a second plurality of phaser chambers circumferentially bounded by the second stator and the second rotor; a first trigger wheel including a plurality of second through-bores connected to the plurality of first through-bores, non-rotatably connected to the first rotor, and arranged to identify a rotational position of the first rotor; and a second trigger wheel non-rotatably connected to the second rotor and arranged to identify a rotational position of the second rotor.

A variable cam phaser system including a variable cam phaser and a vibration damper fixed to the variable cam phaser is disclosed. A method for damping vibration for a variable cam phaser is also disclosed. The method includes providing a variable cam phaser, providing a vibration damper, and fixing the vibration damper to the variable cam phaser.

A motor drive device for valve timing control of an internal combustion engine includes: a motor drive unit that controls a phase of a camshaft to drive a motor for controlling opening and closing operation of a valve; and a determination unit that determines whether a timing is to start up the motor or to normally drive the motor. The motor drive unit drives the motor with an advance angle when it is determined that the timing is to normally drive the motor by the determination unit, and the motor drive unit normally drives the motor without the advance angle when it is determined that the timing is to start up the motor.

A method of determining a sliding camshaft actuator pin position based on engine crankshaft angle includes commanding a sliding camshaft actuator to perform a valve step shift, and monitoring an actuator's pin position during the valve step shift command. At least one crank angle is measured when the actuator pin position reaches or exceeds at least one predetermined pin position threshold and at least one remedial action is performed when the actuator pin position does not correlate to the at least one measured crank angle.

Methods and systems are described for an engine with a cam torque actuated variable cam timing phaser. Phaser positioning control is improved by reducing inaccuracies resulting from inadvertent spool valve and/or phaser movement when the spool valve is commanded between regions. In addition, improved spool valve mapping is used to render phaser commands more consistent and robust.

A control unit for an internal combustion engine is configured for suppressing knocking phenomenon with reduction of overlap, while maintaining an opening timing of an exhaust valve at the time of low-rotation, high-load state. A valve opening/closing timing control apparatus includes a phase adjustment mechanism configured to vary a relative rotational phase between a driving side rotary body rotatable in synchronism with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine and a driven side rotary body rotatable together with an exhaust cam shaft. After an opening timing of the exhaust valve, an advancing operation is effected for displacing the relative rotational phase in the advancing direction relative to the opening timing.