Systems and methods for reducing noise or vibration generated by an internal combustion engine are described. An engine controller is arranged to operate the working chambers of the engine in a cylinder output level modulation manner. A noise/vibration reduction unit actively control of a device that is not a part of the powertrain. The device is controlled in a feed forward manner to alter an NVH characteristic of the vehicle in a desired manner based at least in part on a characteristic of the cylinder output level modulation operation of the engine.

An engine control module (ECM): based on an accelerator pedal position measured using an accelerator pedal position sensor, determines at least one of a predicted engine speed and a predicted torque output of an engine; and transmits the at least one of the predicted engine speed and the predicted engine to a network bus. An audio control module: is separate from the ECM; obtains the at least one of the predicted engine speed and the predicted torque output from the network bus; based on the at least one of the predicted engine speed and the predicted torque output, sets at least one of a frequency at which to output a predetermined engine sound and a magnitude for outputting the predetermined engine sound at the frequency; and applies power to at least one speaker of the vehicle to output the predetermined engine sound at the frequency and the magnitude.

A control strategy for a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine has a repeating cycle of accelerating the vehicle during a more fuel efficient acceleration phase of the cycle followed by a deceleration phase of the cycle which uses little or no fuel.

A vehicle control apparatus includes an electronic control device that controls an internal combustion engine such that a response delay of the internal combustion engine at the time of acceleration is restrained for a predetermined time period from the time point at which an acceleration demand of a driver of a vehicle is estimated when the acceleration demand is estimated while the vehicle is travelling using a driving force from the internal combustion engine.

A method for controlling the speed of an internal combustion engine and a speed control circuit for carrying out the method. For controlling, fuel energy is used as an output variable. The control units are calculated in accordance with a stationary proportion gain which is calculated proportionally to the fuel energy and inversely proportional to the engine speed.

A vehicle drive control device performs acceleration/deceleration running by alternately repeating acceleration running and deceleration running, wherein it compares between an efficiency of the motor at a first operation point determined by a rotation speed and a torque of a motor and an efficiency of the motor at a second operation point for outputting a higher torque than the first operation point, and if a difference between the efficiencies is greater than a determination value, the acceleration running at the second operation point and the deceleration running being repeated, the second operation point being set a maximum efficiency line of the motor with the rotation speed and the torque of the motor as parameters to perform the acceleration running, and if acceleration during the acceleration running becomes larger than an acceleration limit value, a rotating machine acting at least as an electric generator generating electricity to charge a battery.

Method and systems are provided for adjusting an engine torque in response to changes in a desired engine torque. In one example, a method may comprise responsive to increasing desired engine torques, monotonically decreasing an alternator torque to a first level from a second level when not injecting fuel to engine cylinders, and stepping up the alternator torque from the first level to the second level while initiating engine combustion, and then monotonically decreasing the alternator torque from the second level to the first level in response to the alternator torque reaching the first level. In this way, a method may comprise adjusting a load exerted on an engine by an alternator mechanically coupled to said engine during both cylinder combustion, and during non-fueling conditions.

A control device is configured to calculate a basic accelerator request torque based on an accelerator opening degree detected by an accelerator opening degree sensor, and calculate a target acceleration increase amount based on relations between the target acceleration increase amount and an accelerator opening degree increase amount. Further, the control device is configured to calculate a torque increase amount correction amount based on the target acceleration increase amount, calculate a request engine torque based on the basic accelerator request torque and the torque increase amount correction amount, calculate a request injection amount based on the request engine torque, and control a fuel injection valve based on the request injection amount. The relations are such that as a present operating state is close to a constraint, a ratio of the target acceleration increase amount and the accelerator opening degree increase amount becomes smaller.

An air-bypass valve control device is disposed in an engine. The engine includes an intake passage, a compressor, a throttle valve, an air-bypass passage and the air-bypass valve. The air-bypass valve control device includes an intake air amount detector, a controller. The intake air amount detector detects an intake air amount of the engine. The controller configured to temporarily bring the air-bypass valve into an opened state in the case where the intake air amount of the engine immediately before a decrease in an opening degree of the throttle valve is equal to or larger than a predetermined value when the opening degree of the throttle valve decreases at a predetermined speed or higher.

Methods and systems for improving vacuum generation for a diesel powered vehicle that includes a mechanically engine driven vacuum pump are presented. In one non-limiting example, engine idle speed may be increased in response to a number of braking events and/or a request for vacuum based on an amount of stored vacuum.