Methods and systems are presented for assessing the presence or absence of cylinder air-fuel ratio deviation that may result in air-fuel ratio imbalance between engine cylinders. In one example, the method may include assessing the presence or absence of air-fuel ratio errors based on deviation from an expected air-fuel ratio during a deceleration fuel shut-off event.

Redundancy in engine timing position sensing maintains a UAV operational in the event of failure of a primary engine timing position sub-system. The redundancy avoids duplication of the primary crankshaft timing position sensing components, and avoids adding weight, cost and component complexity. Conditioned (square) waveform(s) (102) is/are created from respective sinusoidal waveform(s). Each consecutive leading edge (103a) and trailing edge (103b) of the pulses of the square waveform (102) is derived from the crossing of the zero voltage value by consecutive sinusoidal waveforms A,B,C (e.g. Voltage (V) vs Time (t) or angular degrees). The square pulse waveform (102) is output (104) to a microcontroller (106) to create and output a pseudo crankshaft timing position signal (108) to be used by an ECU to determine ignition and fuel injection events in the event that the primary timing signal from the crankshaft position sensor (CPS) has failed. The signal (108) output to the ECU can have a missing pulse (116) (i.e. indicative of a TDC position of the engine crankshaft) as well as multiple square pulses (114) corresponding to the pulses of the initial square pulse waveform (102). The waveform signal (108) is therefore derived from the alternator waveform signal(s) and provides a pseudo crankshaft timing position signal in the event of failure of the primary or initial CPS signal.

A method for diagnosing a component in a gas-routing system of a supercharged combustion engine having an electrically operable compressor, the method including activating the electrically operable compressor after the combustion engine has been shut off, opening a flow path through the gas-routing system, measuring a state variable in the gas-routing system, and detecting a fault of the component as a function of the measured state variable.

A testing device is capable of testing a NOx sensor in an environment that does not have dew point detection capability. The testing device includes a connector configured to be coupled to the NOx sensor, an output indicator, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to send an unverified dew point signal to the NOx sensor via the connector and receive a sensor signal from the NOx sensor via the connector. The unverified dew point signal includes an indication that a temperature of the environment is at or above the dew point. The sensor signal includes an indication of operation of the NOx sensor in the environment. The circuitry is further configured to determine a status of the NOx sensor based on the received sensor signal and indicate, via the output indicator, the status of the NOx sensor.

A particulate matter detection apparatus includes a particulate matter quantity detection means, a temperature detection means that detects the temperature of exhaust gas, a control unit and a heating means. The particulate matter quantity detection means includes a particulate matter deposition portion that deposits thereon part of particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine and a pair of opposite electrodes arranged apart from each other on the particulate matter deposition portion. The control unit determines a deposition quantity of the particulate matter on the particulate matter deposition portion based on an electrical signal outputted by the particulate matter quantity detection means and receives information on the temperature of the exhaust gas detected by the temperature detection means. The control unit controls the heating means to heat the particulate matter deposition portion to 300 C.-800 C. during a cold start of the internal combustion engine.

A system for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine includes a controller configured to send signals for controlling at least one of air-fuel ratio, spark-ignition timing, and fuel injection timing to an internal combustion engine. The system further includes a sensor configured to send a signal indicative of exhaust gas temperature to the controller. The system is configured to control at least one of the air-fuel ratio, spark-ignition timing, and fuel injection timing based on a signal indicative of at least one of an operating condition of the internal combustion engine and load on the internal combustion engine, and a difference between a target exhaust gas temperature and the signal indicative of the exhaust gas temperature.

A method for verifying the validity of an output of a particulate matter sensor mounted in an engine exhaust system downstream of a diesel particulate filter, the particulate matter sensor including a pair of electrodes spaced apart from each other, includes initiating regeneration of the diesel particulate filter, applying and maintaining a higher than nominal voltage across the electrodes following the step of initiating regeneration of the diesel particulate filter, and measuring an electrical parameter across the electrodes while the higher voltage is applied across the electrodes, where the electrical parameter is indicative of an amount of soot accumulated on the sensor. The reading of accumulated soot is evaluated to determine whether the sensor is indicating that the amount of accumulated soot is within an expected range based on a clean diesel particulate filter and the elevated applied voltage.

Systems and methods for improving fuel injection of an engine that includes a cylinder receiving fuel from two different fuel injectors is disclosed. In one example, fueling errors for each of the two fuel injectors are determined based on fractions of fuel supplied by the two fuel injectors during different engine operating conditions.

A method and to a device for operating a pressure reservoir, where during a compression phase in a pump chamber, a pump periodically increases the pressure of a fluid located therein, and by means of a discharge valve controlled by differential pressure fluid under high pressure is allowed to be introduced from the pump chamber into the pressure reservoir. During a decompression phase following a compression phase, fluid from a fluid reservoir is introduced into the pump chamber by means of a controllable intake valve. In order to be able also to operate the pressure reservoir without a high pressure measurement directly in the pressure reservoir, the fluid pressure in the pressure reservoir is ascertained by means of a pressure determination in the pump chamber. The pressure determination takes place indirectly, monitoring of the intake valve in the decompression phase.

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.