A system and method for detecting faults and optimiz-ing power usage of solenoid valves. The method includes obtaining a current signature of the solenoid coil, using a dedicated circuit to detect various features and using a pulse width modulation controller optimize the power output of the system. Additionally, using machine learning, the system can be optimized using data from the dedicated circuit.

A metering valve comprising a solenoid having: a coil mounted on a core; and an armature moveable axially with respect to the core and against a return bias in response to a current in the coil; a variable capacitor having a first plate mounted for movement with the armature and a second plate fixed with respect to the core. The metering valve comprises an electronic feedback loop which is used to adjust the current in the coil based on a feedback signal derived from of the capacitance of the variable capacitor. A reference capacitor may be provided having opposing third and fourth plates at a set separation. A valve body may house the solenoid, the variable capacitor and the reference capacitor.

A diagnostic method for solenoid valves includes detecting, at excitation of the solenoid, a variation rate of the supply voltage of the solenoid and comparing it with a predetermined value, generating an error signal if the variation rate is lower than the predetermined value, otherwise, detecting characteristics of the waveform of the solenoid current over a time interval between a moment of excitation of the solenoid and a moment wherein the movable core reaches end-stroke position, comparing the detected characteristics with threshold values, generating an alarm signal if the detected characteristics are lower than the threshold values, otherwise calculating the value of solenoid resistance and comparing it with a minimum resistance value and a maximum resistance value when the solenoid current is in steady state, and generating an alarm signal if the solenoid resistance value is lower than the minimum resistance value or greater than the maximum resistance value.

A method for estimating a property of an electrical switching device that includes an electromagnetic actuator that includes a coil. The method includes: measuring electric current flowing through the coil; measuring supply electrical voltage of a control circuit for the actuator; injecting an electric current pulse into the coil; identifying a first time corresponding to a time for which the current flowing through the coil reaches a predetermined threshold value when the current increases following the injection of the pulse; and identifying a second time corresponding to a time for which the current flowing through the coil again reaches the predetermined threshold value when the current decreases after a spike. The method further includes estimating a resistance of the coil on the basis of a ratio of a sum of the values of the voltage that are measured between the second time and the first time, to a sum of the values of the current that are measured between the second time and the first time.

A method for measuring the hardware and operational state of a dual-circuit solenoid valve including first and second coaxial coils each associated with a circuit is disclosed. The method includes the steps of injecting a sinusoidal current into the first coil; measuring the voltage induced across the terminals of the second coil; and plotting at least one curve of a first magnitude proportional to the measured induced voltage as a function of a second magnitude proportional to the injected sinusoidal current.

Methods and systems are provided for operating a solenoid actuator to engage and/or disengage a torque transmission member of a vehicle transmission. In one example, a method may include increasing the holding force of the solenoid actuator. Additionally, the solenoid actuator may include a translatable structural element that creates a moment upon touching another structural element holding the translatable element in a locked position.

The present invention accurately estimates the opening state of a solenoid valve using a feature amount based on driving current information of the solenoid valve. A solenoid valve abnormality detection device, which uses a driving current pattern associated with valve opening of a solenoid valve and detected by a current sensor to detect an abnormality of the solenoid valve, comprises: a feature amount extraction unit that determines a feature amount of a driving current pattern associated with valve opening of the solenoid valve within a predetermined detection period; a feature amount correction unit that estimates the valve temperature of the solenoid valve; and an opening state estimation unit that estimates the opening state of the solenoid valve using the feature amount value corrected by the feature amount correction unit.

An actuator diagnostic apparatus is provided for an electronic control unit of a vehicle. The actuator diagnostic apparatus of the electronic control unit for a vehicle is characterized by containing: a high-side driver which drives an actuator from a high-side; an output voltage sensing unit which senses an output voltage of the high-side driver; a low-side driver which drives the actuator from a low-side; a pull-down switch which pulls down an input voltage of the high-side driver; a shutdown driver which actuates the pull-down switch; and a diagnostic control unit which diagnoses shutdown of the actuator upon receiving an input of the output voltage from the output voltage sensing unit after respectively actuating the high-side driver, the low-side driver, and the shutdown driver in accordance with a shutdown diagnosis order.

A control system may include a processor that may receive a first dataset associated with power properties of a rotating load device coupled to a relay device. The processor may also determine frequency properties based on the power properties and determine a switching profile to control moving a first armature of three armatures in the relay device based on the frequency properties. The switching profile is configured to control movement of the first armature between a first position and a second position, and wherein the switching profile comprises a firing angle for moving the first armature with respect to an electrical waveform, a second armature, and a third armature. The processor may then control a current provided to a relay coil of the relay device based on the switching profile, such that the relay coil causes the first armature to move.

A method for operating a hydraulic valve of a hydraulic device of a motor vehicle transmission device, wherein an actuating current of the hydraulic valve is superposed with a modulation alternating current in order to adjust a shaking vibration of the hydraulic valve by a control device, wherein a deviation between an actual pressure resulting from the actuating current and a setpoint pressure determined as a function of the actuating current is determined for the hydraulic device by means of an electronic computing device, and an amplitude and/or a frequency of the modulation alternating current is increased as compared to a starting value equalizing a hysteresis of the actual pressure relative to the setpoint pressure, as a function of a tolerance range being exceeded by the determined deviation.