Method of Discriminating a Stroke of a 4-Cycle Internal Combustion Engine

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an engine stroke discriminating method and apparatus for controlling the ignition timing and/or the fuel injection timing of a 4-cycle internal combustion engine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In some conventional ignition systems of 4-cycle internal combustion engines, the ignition timing is set in accordance with the rotational angle of the crankshaft. In an ignition system of this type, ignition is produced for every two rotations of the crankshaft during each compression stroke. If a spark is produced at an ignition plug at a predetermined rotational angle of the crankshaft, an additional spark, that is, a waste firing, will occur in the exhaust stroke. In order to prevent such an additional spark, it is necessary to detect or discriminate between the different strokes of the engine. Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-20583 discloses an ignition system wherein a rotational position detecting sensor is provided for a half rotation member such as a camshaft which makes one full rotation for each two crankshaft rotations. An ignition pulse is provided only during a compression stroke in accordance with the result of detection of a predetermined rotational angular position of the half rotation member such as the camshaft. However, since the ignition system requires provision of the rotational position detecting sensor on the half rotation member, there is a problem in that the output portion of the crankshaft is complicated in construction and accordingly has a high production cost. This also applies to an ignition system of an internal combustion engine of the fuel injection type wherein fuel injection timing for injecting fuel once during each one cycle (suction, compression, explosion and exhaust) of the engine is set for each of the cylinders of the engine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an engine stroke discriminating method and apparatus for a 4-cycle internal combustion engine which discriminates a stroke of the engine with accuracy, the method and apparatus being simple in construction and low in cost.

The stroke discriminating method and apparatus of the present invention is characterized by taking advantage of the fact that the rotational speed of a crankshaft after the top dead center of a cylinder of an engine rises substantially relative to the rotational speed before the top dead center in a compression stroke of the cylinder but does not rise in an exhaust stroke. The stroke of the engine is thus, discriminated by determining the difference in rotational speed of the crankshaft before and after the top dead center of the cylinder.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ignition system incorporating a stroke discriminating method and apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a counter included in the CPU of the ignition system of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3(a)-3(c) are flow charts illustrating operation of the CPU.

FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram illustrating the operation of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the changing of the rotational speed of a crankshaft.

FIG. 1 illustrates an ignition system of a 2-cylinder b 4-cycle internal combustion engine having the engine stroke discriminating method and apparatus of the present invention. In the ignition system shown, up to seven projections 9 are located at angular positions 45 degrees apart on the outer periphery of a rotary member 1 which rotates in synchronism with a crankshaft of the engine (not shown). A pair of pulse generators 2a and 2b are located at different positions adjacent the outer periphery of the rotary member 1 for electromagnetically cooperating with the projections 9 on the rotary member 1 to generate a pulse train A and a pulse train B, respectively. The plurality of projections 9 and the pulse generators 2a and 2b thus form a rotational position detecting sensor. It is to be noted that the pulse trains A and B may otherwise be obtained by photoelectric transducer means, for example. The pulse train A and the pulse train B are either shaped in their waveform or adjusted in level by input interface circuits 3a and 3b, respectively, and are applied to the input ports of a CPU 4 of a microcomputer. Meanwhile, a P.sub.B signal indicating the vacuum pressure of the engine is applied from a P.sub.B sensor 5 to an A/D converter 6 which provides a digital P.sub.B signal, for example, of 16 bits, to the CPU 4. The CPU 4 calculates in synchronism with clock pulses from a clock generator (not shown) to determine an energization starting time and a deenergizing time in accordance with a program stored in a ROM 7 in response to the received data of the pulse trains A and B as well as the P.sub.B signal. At the energization starting time and the deenergizing time thus determined, outputs of logic values "1" and "0" are supplied, respectively, from output port OUT.sub.1 of the CPU 4 to a transistor Q.sub.1 via an output interface circuit 3c and from output port OUT.sub.2 to transistor Q.sub.2 via output interface circuit 3d. When a logic "1" signal (ON signal) is received at the base of the transistor Q.sub.1, the transistor Q.sub.1 is rendered conducting so that current will flow in the primary winding of ignition coil CL.sub.1. When a logic "0" signal (OFF signal) is received at the base of the transistor Q.sub.1, the transistor Q.sub.1 is turned off so that a high voltage appears in the secondary winding of the ignition coil CL.sub.1 causing an arc to appear in the gap of ignition plug PLG.sub.1 resulting in ignition in the first cylinder. Similarly, when a logic "1" signal (ON signal) is received at the base of the transistor Q.sub.2, the transistor Q.sub.2 is rendered conducting so that current will flow in the primary winding of ignition coil CL.sub.2. When a logic "0" signal (OFF signal) is received at the base of the transistor Q.sub.2, the transistor Q.sub.2 is cut off so that a high voltage appears in a secondary winding of the ignition coil CL.sub.2 causing an arc in a gap of an ignition plug PLG.sub.2 resulting in ignition in the second cylinder.

Now, the operation of the CPU 4 will be described.

The CPU 4 includes a built-in Me counter (FIG. 2) which is reset by the rear edge of a pulse A and counts clock pulses from the pulse generator. Thus, the count value Me of the Me counter at the time of the rear edge of a pulse A indicates a pulse interval which is equal to the reciprocal to the instantaneous value Ne of the engine rotational speed. The Me counter, thus provides data indicating Me=1/Ne as a means of detecting an instantaneous speed of the engine.

Meanwhile, the CPU 4 controls energization starting and deenergization as described above in accordance with flow charts shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c). In particular, in the subroutine of FIG. 3(a) which is initiated as a result of interruption by reception of each pulse B, the count value S.sub.B of a built-in stage counter B is incremented by one step (S.sub.1), and then the CPU 4 determines whether or not the count value S.sub.B is equal to 2 (step S.sub.2) When S.sub.B =2, the count value S.sub.A of another built-in stage counter A is set to "4" (step S.sub.3). The pulse generator 2a is arranged such that the first cylinder may assume its top dead center position when S.sub.A =7 and the second cylinder may assume its top dead center position when S.sub.A =3 as seen in FIG. 4. The other pulse generator 2b is located at an advanced position at an angle greater than 90 degrees but smaller than 120 degrees with respect to the pulse generator 2a in a direction of rotation of the crankshaft. Accordingly, the stage counter B which counts the pulses B is reset each time a pulse A is produced as seen in FIG. 3(b) (step S.sub.4). Consequently, the count value S.sub.B of the stage counter B exhibits "2" only within an interval of time from a point of time when S.sub.A =4 to another point of time just before S.sub.A =5 is reached. Accordingly, the count value S.sub.A of the stage counter A can be initialized to S.sub.A =4. It is to be noted that, directly after starting a cranking operation of the engine, the subroutines of FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are executed until the crankshaft makes at most one full rotation and the initialization of S.sub.A =4 is completed.

A subroutine shown in FIG. 3(c) is initiated by interruption each time a pulse A is produced after the initialization of S.sub.A =4. In the subroutine shown, at first the count value S.sub.A of the stage counter A is incremented by "1" (step S.sub.11), and then it is determined whether or not the count value S.sub.A is equal to "8" (step S.sub.12). When S.sub.A =8, the count value Me of the Me counter and the vacuum pressure P.sub.B are respectively read into the CPU 4 (steps S.sub.13 and S.sub.14). However, if S.sub.A 32 8, then the count value S.sub.A of the stage counter A is set to "1" (step S.sub.15) whereafter the steps S.sub.13 and S.sub.14 are executed to read the count value Me of the Me counter and the vacuum pressure P.sub.B into the CPU 4. Each time the count value Me of the Me counter is read in, it is stored in a predetermined location of RAM 8 corresponding to the count value S.sub.A. Successive values of Me.sub.1 to Me.sub.7 as shown in FIG. 4 successively update the stored contents of the RAM 8. After reading the data, it is determined whether or not the count value Me is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value Me.sub.0 (step S.sub.16) In case Me.gtoreq.Me.sub.0, this indicates that the rotational speed of the engine is low, and accordingly, it is determined whether or not the count value S.sub.A of the stage counter A is equal to "5" (step S.sub.17). When S.sub.A =5, this indicates that it is directly after the crankshaft has rotated an angle of 135 degrees from the top dead center position of the second cylinder (that is, an angle of 270 degrees from the top dead center position of the first cylinder), and thus, the count values Me.sub.2 and Me.sub.4 are read out from the RAM 8 and the count value Me.sub.4 is divided by "2" and a predetermined value .epsilon. is added thereto to obtain a calculated value, whereafter it is determined whether or not the count value Me.sub.2 is greater than the calculated value (step S.sub.18). In case Me.sub.2 >Me.sub.4 /2+.epsilon., the CPU 4 determines that the top dead center position of the second cylinder is top dead center after a compression stroke of the second cylinder (which may be hereinafter referred to as compression top dead center), and thus, sets "1" to a flag F (step S.sub.19) as a means of discriminating the compression stroke. When Me.sub.2 .ltoreq.Me.sub.4 /2+.epsilon., the CPU 4 determines that the top dead center position of the second cylinder is top dead center after an exhaust stroke of the second cylinder (which may hereinafter be referred to as exhaust top dead center), and thus resets the flag F to "0" (step S.sub.20). Since the rotational speed of the crankshaft is substantially lower when the top dead center position is reached in a compression stroke than when it is reached in an exhaust stroke as shown in FIG. 5, the count value Me.sub.2 represents a rotational speed of the crankshaft just before the top dead center of the second cylinder while the count value Me.sub.4 after the suction top dead center of the second cylinder is smaller than that after the exhaust top dead center and meets Me.sub.2 >Me.sub.4 /2+.epsilon. whereas the count value Me.sub.4 after the exhaust top dead center meets Me.sub.2 .ltoreq.Me.sub.4 /2+.epsilon.. Accordingly, where the flag F is set to F=1 at step S.sub.19, ignition is effected at the first cylinder while elimination of waste firing is effected at the second cylinder. However, where the flag F is reset to F=0 at step S.sub.20, elimination of waste firing is effected at the first cylinder while ignition is effected at the second cylinder It is to be noted that, when Me<Me.sub.0 at step S.sub.16, or in case S.sub.A .noteq.5 at step S.sub.17, the CPU 4 bypasses the steps or setting and resetting the flag F and advances directly to a subsequent ignition timing setting sequence. When Me<Me.sub.0, however, it is preferable to supply current to the ignition coils CL.sub.1 and CL.sub.2 irrespective of contents of the flag F.

In the ignition timing setting sequence, functional values F(Me, P.sub.B) and f(Me, P.sub.B) are first placed into an ignition stage count value S.sub.IG1 for rough setting of ignition timing for the first cylinder and a cutoff trigger count value TIG1 for fine setting, respectively (step S.sub.21). It is to be noted that the functional values F(Me, P.sub.B) and f(Me, P.sub.B) can be stored in advance as MAP values in the ROM 7.

Subsequently, the CPU 4 determines whether or not the stage count value S.sub.A is equal to S.sub.IG1 (step S.sub.22), and when S.sub.A is equal to S.sub.IG1, this indicates that the crank angle is near the ignition angle, and thus the CPU 4 decrements the cutoff trigger count value T.sub.IG1 by one (step S.sub.23). After this, the CPU 4 compares the value T.sub.IG1 with zero (step S.sub.24), and when T.sub.IG1 >0, the CPU 4 returns its operation to step S.sub.23 in order to repeat the decrementing of T.sub.IG1 by one until it is reduced to zero. Thus, when T.sub.IG1 .ltoreq.0 is reached, this indicates that the ignition timing is reached, and accordingly, the CPU 4 produces a cutoff instruction OUT.sub.1 =0 (step S.sub.25).

On the other hand, when S.sub.A is not equal to S.sub.IG1 functional values G(Me, P.sub.B) and g(Me, P.sub.B) are placed into an ignition stage count value S.sub.IG2 for rough setting of the ignition timing for the second cylinder and a cutoff trigger count value T.sub.IG2 for fine setting, respectively (step S.sub.26). It is to be noted that the functional values G(Me, P.sub.B) and g(Me, P.sub.B) can also be stored in advance as MAP values in the ROM 7.

Subsequently, the CPU 4 determines whether or not the stage count value S.sub.A is equal to S.sub.IG2 (step S.sub.27), and when S.sub.A is equal to S.sub.IG2, this indicates that the crank angle is near the ignition angle, and thus, the CPU 4 decrements the cutoff trigger count value T.sub.IG2 by one (step S.sub.28). The CPU 4 then compares the value T.sub.IG2 with zero (step S.sub.29), and when T.sub.IG2 >0, the CPU 4 returns its operation to step S.sub.28 in order to repeat the decrementing of T.sub.IG2 by one until it is reduced to or below zero. Thus, when T.sub.IG2 .ltoreq.0 is reached, this indicates that the ignition timing has been reached, and accordingly, the CPU 4 produces a cutoff instruction OUT.sub.2 =0 (step S.sub.30).

Subsequently, a sequence is entered for determining energization starting timing at which energization of the ignition coils CL.sub.1 and CL.sub.2 is to be started before actual ignition. In particular, it is determined first whether or not the energization flag F is equal to zero (step S.sub.31). When F=1, this indicates that ignition is to subsequently occur at the first cylinder, and thus, functional values H(Me, P.sub.B) and h(Me, P.sub.B) are placed into an energization starting stage count value S.sub.ON1 and an energization starting trigger count value T.sub.ON1, respectively (step S.sub.32). Subsequently, the stage count value S.sub.A is compared with S.sub.ON1 (step S.sub.33), and when they are equal to each other, this indicates that the energization starting stage is reached, and thus T.sub.ON1 is repeatedly decremented by one until it is reduced to or below zero (steps S.sub.34 and S.sub.35). When T.sub.ON1 .ltoreq.0 is reached, the CPU 4 switches output OUT.sub.1 to "1" to provide an instruction of energization to the ignition coil CL.sub.1 of the first cylinder (step S.sub.36). However, when F=0 at step S.sub.31, as a means of suppression this indicates that ignition is to subsequently occur at the second cylinder, and thus, functional values I(Me, P.sub.B) and i(Me, P.sub.B) are placed into an energization starting stage count value S.sub.ON2 and an energization starting trigger count value T.sub.ON2, respectively (step S.sub.37). Also, when S.sub.A =S.sub.ON1 at step S.sub.33, the step S.sub.37 is immediately executed. Subsequently, the stage count value S.sub.A is compared with S.sub.ON2 (step S.sub.38), and when they are equal to each other, this indicates that the energization starting stage is reached, and thus, T.sub.ON2 is repeatedly decremented by one until it is reduced to or below zero (steps S.sub.39 and S.sub.40). When T.sub.ON2 .ltoreq.0 is reached, the CPU 4 switches output OUT.sub.2 to "1" to provide an instruction of energization to the ignition coil CL.sub.2 of the first cylinder (step S.sub.41).

Accordingly, the collector voltages of the transistors Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2 exhibit changes as shown in waveforms (c) and (d) of FIG. 4, respectively. Thus, at a point of time t.sub.1 where S.sub.A =5, Me.sub.2 >Me.sub.4 /2+.epsilon., the CPU 4 determines that the next subsequent top dead center of the first cylinder is the compression top dead center and sets the flag F to F=1. Consequently, in the first cylinder, the transistor Q.sub.1 is then rendered conducting to allow the ignition coil CL.sub.1 to be energized, and then, the transistor Q.sub.1 is cut off near the top dead center position. Consequently, a high voltage appears in the secondary winding of the ignition coil CL.sub.1 and causes the ignition plug PLG.sub.1 to produce a spark for ignition. In the meantime, the CPU 4 determines that the subsequent next top dead center in the second cylinder is the exhaust top dead center, and accordingly, the cutoff condition of the transistor Q.sub.2 is maintained thus avoiding waste firing. However, at a point of time t.sub.2 where S.sub.A =5 after one full rotation of the crankshaft from the point t.sub.1, Me.sub.2 .ltoreq.Me.sub.4 /2+.epsilon. stands, and accordingly, the CPU 4 determines that the next subsequent top dead center of the second cylinder is the compression top dead center and resets the flag F to F=0. Consequently, in the second cylinder, the transistor Q.sub.2 is rendered conducting to allow the ignition coil CL.sub.2 to be energized, and then, the transistor Q.sub.2 is cut off. A high voltage thus appears in the secondary winding of the ignition coil CL.sub.2 and causes the ignition plug PLG.sub.2 to produce a spark for ignition. Meanwhile, the CPU 4 determines that the subsequent next top dead center in the first cylinder is the exhaust top dead center, and accordingly, the cutoff condition of the transistor Q.sub.1 is maintained thus avoiding waste firing.

It is noted that while in the embodiment of the present invention described above, a stroke of the engine is determined by a changing condition of the rotational speed of the crankshaft in order to avoid waste firing and cause ignition only at an appropriate timing, it is also possible to discriminate a suction stroke or some other stroke of each cylinder of an engine in a similar manner from a changing condition of the rotational speed of the crankshaft in order to cause fuel injection only at an appropriate timing.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, according to a stroke discriminating or determinating method and apparatus of a 4-cycle internal combustion engine, rotational speeds of a crankshaft before and after the top dead center position are compared to each other to discriminate a stroke of the engine. Accordingly, the method and apparatus requires provision of only a rotational position detecting sensor on the crankshaft and does not require a rotational position detecting sensor on a member such as a camshaft which rotates in synchronism with the crankshaft as in a conventional apparatus. This allows simplification in construction of the apparatus and a reduction in cost.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, to be embraced therein.