New and/or alternative approaches to determine mass flow using a flow measurement device in a pulsatile flow context. The flow measurement device is configured to generate a delta-pressure measurement. A semi-physical valve model is generated for the flow measurement device, and the delta-pressure measurement is then is isolated using the model. A discharge coefficient map is determined for the flow measurement device by testing using sets of operating parameters for a system. The operating parameters of the system are then used to determine the discharge coefficient for use in estimating mass flow with the semi-physical valve model. The resultant estimated mass flow can be used to control the system, and a Factor of Effective Area estimate generated using the valve model can be used to determine the status of the flow measurement device and identify or predict a need for maintenance.

An internal combustion engine control apparatus including a rotational speed sensor detecting a rotational speed of an internal combustion engine, an intake air amount sensor detecting an amount of an intake air supplied into a combustion chamber, a command detector detecting a command of a deceleration of a vehicle on which the internal combustion engine is mounted or a torque down of the internal combustion engine, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform: determining whether a retard condition of an ignition timing is satisfied based on a value detected by the rotational speed sensor or the intake air amount sensor when the command is detected by the command detector, and controlling an ignition part so as to perform an ignition-timing retard control to delay the ignition timing of the ignition part when it is determined that the retard condition is satisfied.

An internal combustion engine control apparatus including a rotational speed sensor detecting a rotational speed of an internal combustion engine, an intake air amount sensor detecting an amount of an intake air supplied into a combustion chamber, a command detector detecting a command of a deceleration of a vehicle on which the internal combustion engine is mounted or a torque down of the internal combustion engine, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform: determining whether a retard condition of an ignition timing is satisfied based on a value detected by the rotational speed sensor or the intake air amount sensor when the command is detected by the command detector, and controlling an ignition part so as to perform an ignition-timing retard control to delay the ignition timing of the ignition part when it is determined that the retard condition is satisfied.

Provided is a fuel injection control device that makes it possible to precisely estimate an amount of fuel remaining in an air intake passage at a start-up of an engine, and to precisely set an fuel injection amount during start-up operation. In the fuel injection control device of the present invention, in a process in which the engine is transferred from operation state to a stop state, engine stop information is acquired and stored in a nonvolatile memory, the engine stop information including, at least an information indicating whether the current engine stop is an intended stop accompanied by fuel cutting. During the start-up of the engine, judgement is made as to whether the last engine stop was the intended stop or not, based upon the engine stop information and a fuel injection amount during start-up operation is determined with reference to the result of the judgement.

The present invention discloses a method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising a controllable injector for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber, the injector communicating with a fuel accumulator through which it is supplied with fuel, the method comprising the following steps: determining a first pressure value of the pressure in the fuel accumulator on the basis of a first pressure measurement, determining a second pressure value of the pressure in the fuel accumulator on the basis of a second pressure measurement carried out after the first pressure measurement, and determining an injector opening duration depending on the first and the second pressure value.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling an engine idle-stop based on upcoming traffic and road conditions. In one example, a method may include receiving data including traffic information and road characteristics immediately ahead of a vehicle from one or more remote sources, and adjusting one or more vehicle thresholds based on the received data. A duration of a prospective engine idle-stop may be estimated based on the received data and an engine idle-stop may be initiated based on the duration of the prospective engine idle-stop and the adjusted one or more vehicle threshold.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling an engine idle-stop based on upcoming traffic and road conditions. In one example, a method may include receiving data including traffic information and road characteristics immediately ahead of a vehicle from one or more remote sources, and adjusting one or more vehicle thresholds based on the received data. A duration of a prospective engine idle-stop may be estimated based on the received data and an engine idle-stop may be initiated based on the duration of the prospective engine idle-stop and the adjusted one or more vehicle threshold.

Disclosed is a reluctor plate controller that detects vacuum and pressures in the engine which are used to create digital motor control signals for controlling a reluctor plate actuator using a digital stepper motor, servo motor or a voice-coil actuator. The system can be programmed to create various desired responses that function to create better efficiency of an internal combustion engine, less pollution and/or greater engine output.

A vehicle predictive control system based on big data includes: a vehicle terminal, which is installed in each of a plurality of vehicles, collecting status information related with an in-vehicle device in a corresponding vehicle to transmit the collected status information in real time, and transmitting problem occurrence information upon problem occurrence of the in-vehicle device; and a big data service provider classifying and storing the status information received from the vehicle terminal as big data, and obtaining a problem occurrence condition based on the status information to transmit information corresponding to the problem occurrence condition to the vehicle terminal when receiving the problem occurrence information of the in-vehicle device from the vehicle terminal of at least some vehicles among the plurality of vehicles.

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising a crankshaft, one or more cylinders including a cylinder head, a piston, a combustion chamber, one or more intake valves, one or more exhaust valves, an intake system configured for feeding intake air to the engine, an exhaust system configured for conveying exhaust gas away from the engine, a pressure charging system connected to the intake system and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system arranged to feed branched off exhaust gas from the exhaust system to the intake system via an EGR conduit wherein: * the internal combustion engine includes a valve actuation device configured to allow for late or early closing of the intake valves in accordance with late or early Miller-type valve timing, and wherein * the EGR system includes a gas feeding device configured to feed exhaust gas through the EGR conduit in modes of operation wherein the pressure in the intake system exceeds the pressure in the exhaust system, * wherein the gas feeding device is a displacement pump and wherein the gas feeding device is arranged so that exhaust gas recirculating in the EGR system during operation of the engine passes the gas feeding device before being mixed with intake air in the intake system. Additionally, a method of improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine is described.