Provided are a novel exhaust pipe temperature estimation device and a sensor heater control apparatus for an exhaust gas sensor using the same that accurately estimates an estimation exhaust pipe temperature when an internal combustion engine is stopped and restarted in response to a change of an environmental condition of the internal combustion engine and controls an operation of a sensor heater based on the estimated estimation exhaust pipe temperature. Thus, at least first correction information Tz based on a change of an exhaust pipe temperature and an elapsed time at stop, second correction information Ty based on a change of an internal combustion engine temperature at the stop of the internal combustion engine, and third correction information Tz based on a change of a cooling degree due to outdoor air during stop from the stop to restart are obtained, an estimation exhaust pipe temperature at the stop is corrected using at least one or more pieces of the correction information at restart of the internal combustion engine to estimate an estimation exhaust pipe temperature at the restart, and an estimation exhaust pipe temperature during an operation of the internal combustion engine thereafter is obtained using the estimation exhaust pipe temperature as an initial value, and further, a heating operation of a sensor heater is started when the estimation exhaust pipe temperature becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

In some embodiments, a vehicle includes a temperature monitoring controller. The temperature monitoring controller is a processor, control module, or other suitable hardware that is configured to receive temperature sensor values from an engine control module (ECM) when an ignition bus is in a powered on state, and to decide when the engine should be automatically started in order to maintain a temperature above a low temperature threshold. The temperature monitoring controller periodically causes an ignition bus of the vehicle to be placed in the powered on state when the engine is shut down in order to collect temperature sensor values. The temperature monitoring controller determines whether to automatically start the engine, and if not, determines how long to wait before collecting temperature sensor values again based on a rate of change of the temperature sensor values.

Methods and systems are provided for conducting an evaporative emissions test diagnostic on a vehicle fuel system and evaporative emissions control system during engine-on conditions. In one example, a first fuel vapor storage device is separated from a second fuel vapor storage device by a one-way check valve, thus preventing loading of the first fuel vapor storage device during conditions such as refueling operations, diurnal temperature fluctuations, or from running-loss vapors from a vehicle fuel tank. In this way, the evaporative emissions test diagnostic may be conducted during a cold-start event where an exhaust catalyst is below a predetermined threshold temperature required for catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons in the engine exhaust, without increasing undesired exhaust emissions.

A control apparatus for an electric vehicle includes a first motor (traveling motor) for traveling, a battery (high-voltage battery), a second motor (generator motor) for electricity generation, an engine (rotary engine), a first controller (engine ECU), a second controller (motor ECU), and a sensor (voltage-current sensor). The second controller is configured to start the engine by causing the second motor to perform power running, cause the second motor to perform electricity generation driving such that the battery is charged, and adjust a stop position of the engine by causing the second motor to perform power running subsequently to a stop of the engine by the first controller in a case where a state of charge of the battery becomes high and the second motor finishes the electricity generation driving.

An outboard motor includes an engine, a fuel tank, a fuel pathway, a fuel pump, and a controller. The engine includes a fuel injector. The fuel tank includes an internal space in which fuel is stored. The fuel pathway is connected to the fuel injector and the fuel tank. The fuel pump is disposed in the fuel pathway, and supplies the fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel injector. The controller controls the fuel pump. The controller determines whether or not a start condition, indicating that air has entered the fuel pathway, is satisfied. The controller is configured or programmed to execute an air releasing control to open the fuel injector and drive the fuel pump when the start condition is satisfied.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a cylinder valve deactivation mechanism in an engine system having cam-actuated valves. Movement of a latch pin of the deactivation mechanism is inferred from an induction current generated by a solenoid coupled to the latch pin, and the inferred movement is used to diagnose operation of cylinder valve deactivation mechanism. The inferred movement and a profile of the induction current is also used to estimate camshaft and crankshaft timing for improved cylinder fuel delivery in the absence of a camshaft sensor.

A controller controls a vehicle including an engine with a fuel vapor processing device. The fuel vapor processing device executes purge control that sends fuel vapor of a fuel tank, via a canister, to an intake passage on condition that air-fuel ratio learning is complete. The controller includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry automatically stops the engine when an automatic stopping condition is satisfied, automatically starts the engine when an automatic starting condition is satisfied, determines that a prohibition condition for prohibiting automatic stopping is satisfied when the air-fuel ratio learning is incomplete, and inhibits automatic stopping of the engine even if the automatic stopping condition is satisfied when determining that the prohibition condition is satisfied.

A catalyst deterioration detection system 1 comprises an air-fuel ratio sensor 41, a current detection device 61, a voltage application device 60, a voltage control part 71, an air-fuel ratio control part 72 and a deterioration judging part 73. The air-fuel ratio control part executes fuel cut control, and, after the fuel cut control, executes rich control. The voltage control part, if judging that the air-fuel ratio of the outflowing exhaust gas has reached the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio when setting the applied voltage to a first voltage in a limit current region during the rich control, changes the applied voltage from the first voltage to a second voltage in a limit current region. The deterioration judging part judges the degree of deterioration of the catalyst based on the output current of the air-fuel ratio sensor when the applied voltage is set to the second voltage.

Methods and systems are provided for partially regenerating a lean NO.sub.x trap in response to an engine shutdown request. In one example, an engine shutdown is delayed so that a low-temperature storing region of the lean NO.sub.x trap is regenerated without regenerating a high-temperature storing region of the lean NO.sub.x trap. A battery charge is replenished during the shutdown, wherein the charge may be consumed during a subsequent engine operation.

In one or more embodiments, during a stopped condition of the vehicle, commanding stiffening and dampening modes of an active engine mount (AEM) system while inducing vehicle vibrations and recording images. In this way, a condition of the AEM system may be indicated based on the recorded images.