An injection control device for a fuel injection valve includes: a current detection unit of the fuel injection valve; a current area correction control unit that performs current area correction for an area correction amount of an energization time to equalize the integrated current value of the energization current profile and an integrated current value of the detected current; and an information correction unit that learns and stores a reference attainment time, from a start of energization to an attainment of each of the plurality of reference currents, in a storage unit, and corrects information related to the current area correction based on a difference between the reference attainment time and an actual attainment time from the start of energization to the attainment of each reference current.

Methods and systems are provided for balancing injector fueling. In one example, a method includes learning portions of a transfer function shape by firing a plurality of injectors at PWs of a set of PWs following a reference injection.

A method for determining a switching point of a solenoid valve. A solenoid coil is energized to raise a solenoid armature to unblock a flow opening. For a signal profile characteristic of a current profile in the solenoid coil, multiple periods each different from one another and each having the same predefined temporal length are determined. Within each period, a minimal and a maximal value of the signal profile and associated points in time are ascertained and a product of a difference between the maximal and minimal value and a difference between the associated points in time are ascertained. On the basis of the points in time of the minimal and maximal value of that period, which corresponds to a maximal value of the product, the switching point is determined.

A method for ascertaining the movement of an armature of an electric intake valve, an electrical variable of the electric intake valve being controlled to predefined values with the aid of a two-position controller, a characteristic point in time of the movement of the armature being ascertained based on the switching behavior of the two-position controller.

An injection control device includes: a drive control unit that controls energization by correcting an energization instruction time when injecting the fuel by executing the current-drive, and includes an energization time correction amount calculation unit that calculates an energization time correction amount by performing area correction on a current flowing through the fuel injection valve; an abnormality determination unit that determines an abnormality in a control system of the drive control unit; and a correction amount subtraction setting unit that stops a calculation of the energization time correction amount when the abnormality determination unit determines an abnormality, and controls the drive control unit to directly or stepwise reduce the energization time correction amount at an abnormality determination.

Methods and systems are provided for balancing a plurality of fuel injectors. In one example, a method includes determining a fuel injector error shape and applying a fueling correction to all injectors based on the fuel injector error shape.

A method for controlling a fuel injector includes applying a spill valve current, applying a control valve current, the control and spill valves including components in electrical communication with each other, and detecting a timing at which the spill valve returns to an open position based on induced spill valve current. The method includes detecting a timing at which the control valve returns to a resting position based on induced control valve current, the induced spill valve current and the induced control valve current being included in respective freewheeling currents that at least partially overlap each other, adjusting a spill valve current that is applied during an injection, based on the detected spill valve return timing, and adjusting a control valve current that is applied during the injection, based on the detected control valve return timing.

A fuel injection method includes applying a first method current to close a spill valve according to a first method, applying a control valve current to open a control valve, and discontinuing the application of the control valve current to thereby cause the control valve to close. The method also includes applying a second method current to maintain the spill valve closed according to a second method and detecting a timing of a closing of the control valve while applying the second method current according to the second method, the second method being different than the first method.

An injection control device for a fuel injection valve includes: a current detection unit; and a current area correction control unit that corrects, based on an energization current profile, an area correction amount of an energization time to equalize the integrated current value of the energization current profile and an integrated current value of the detected current, and obtains the integrated current value of the current based on an attainment time from a start of energization of the fuel injection valve to an attainment of each of a plurality of reference current values; a storage unit that stores a reference attainment time; and a reference current value correction unit that corrects each reference current value based on a difference between the reference attainment time and a detected attainment time at a time of actual drive.

An injection control device controls the opening and closing of a fuel injection valve by performing peak current drive and constant current drive and controls injection of fuel from the fuel injection valve to an internal combustion engine. The injection control device includes a preheat current energization control unit configured to, when a temperature of a solenoid coil of the fuel injection valve prior to starting the internal combustion engine is lower than a predetermined temperature, energize the fuel injection valve with a preheat current having an output density that causes the temperature of the solenoid coil to increase, the preheat current being within a range that maintains the fuel injection valve in a valve closed state, and when the temperature of the solenoid valve increases to or above the predetermined temperature, stop the energization of the fuel injection valve with the preheat current.