System and method for bypassing abnormal engine cylinders by cylinder deactivation

Abstract

Systems and methods for bypassing abnormal engine cylinders by cylinder deactivation are described in accordance with various embodiments. The system includes an engine coupled to a controller. The controller includes at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to: determine one or more cylinders of a plurality of cylinders of the engine to be abnormal based on data regarding engine operation; and operating the engine in an improved engine operating mode, thereby modifying operation of the one or more abnormal cylinders.

Description

Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This PCT international patent application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 987,700, filed on November 15, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an engine system that may include an exhaust aftertreatment system or be coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting potentially abnormal engine cylinders and using cylinder deactivation to bypass or skip the operation of potentially abnormal cylinders to achieve one or more predetermined goals. Background Art

[0003] An engine includes one or more engine cylinders for combusting fuel and generating power. However, the performance of these cylinders may degrade and require maintenance and / or replacement. On-vehicle sensors and diagnostic systems can be used to monitor the performance of the cylinders to determine when a cylinder may be failing, has likely failed, or is not operating within expected or desired operating parameters. A failing or potentially failing cylinder can have an adverse impact on the performance of the engine, for example, by increasing harmful exhaust emissions (e.g., nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides, particulate matter, etc.), reducing fuel economy, reducing engine power output, etc. Thus, timely and accurate diagnosis and maintenance are important for helping to keep the engine system and its various systems and devices operating as desired. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One embodiment relates to a device. The device includes a controller that includes at least one processing circuit having at least one memory coupled to at least one processor. The controller is configured to: determine one or more cylinders of a plurality of cylinders of an engine to be abnormal based on data regarding engine operation; and cause the engine to operate in an improved engine operating mode, thereby modifying the operation of the one or more abnormal cylinders.

[0005] Another embodiment relates to a system. The system includes an engine coupled to a controller. The controller includes at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to: determine one or more cylinders of a plurality of cylinders of an engine to be abnormal based on data regarding engine operation; and cause the engine to operate in an improved engine operating mode, thereby modifying the operation of the one or more abnormal cylinders.

[0006] Another embodiment relates to a method. The method includes: determining that one or more cylinders of an engine are abnormal based on data regarding engine operation; receiving an operation target; and operating the engine in an improved engine operation mode based on the received operation target, thereby modifying the operation of the one or more abnormal cylinders.

[0007] Numerous specific details are provided to facilitate a thorough understanding of embodiments of the subject matter of this application. The described features of the subject matter of this application may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments and / or implementations. In this regard, one or more features of one aspect of the invention may be combined with one or more features of different aspects of the invention. Additionally, there may be additional features in certain embodiments and / or implementations that may not be present in all embodiments or implementations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 A is a schematic block diagram view of a vehicle system according to an example embodiment.

[0009] Figure 1 B is of an engine of a vehicle system according to an example embodiment Figure 1 A schematic block diagram view.

[0010] Figure 2 is of a controller according to an example embodiment Figure 1 A block diagram.

[0011] Figure 3 is of a method for monitoring and controlling Figure 1 B one or more cylinders of an engine, a flowchart.

[0012] Figure 4 is of a method for monitoring and controlling Figure 1 B one or more cylinders of an engine, a flowchart.

[0013] Figure 5 is of a method for monitoring and controlling Figure 1 B one or more cylinders of an engine, a flowchart. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The following is a more detailed description of various related concepts and implementations of methods, devices, and systems for monitoring one or more parameters of one or more cylinders of an engine and controlling the one or more cylinders based on the monitored one or more parameters. The system may include an engine having one or more cylinders and an exhaust aftertreatment system coupled to the one or more cylinders. Advantageously and as described herein, a controller or control system may detect one or more problem / abnormal cylinders of the engine and initiate a cylinder deactivation operating mode to achieve one or more goals (e.g., emission goals, mission goals such as reaching a destination, etc.) and avoid further problems (e.g., deterioration, etc.) in the one or more abnormal cylinders. Before turning to the drawings that detail certain example embodiments, it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the details or methods described in the specification or the drawings. It should also be understood that the terms used herein are for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0015] As used herein, the terms "parameter", "parameter value", and similar terms, in addition to their ordinary meanings, also refer to input, output, or other values associated with components and / or their sub-components of the systems described herein. For example, a parameter may include a sensor value detected by an actual sensor or determined by a virtual sensor. A parameter may include a value, control setting, or other control signal used by a control system to control one or more of the components described herein. Thus, a parameter may include data or information.

[0016] As used herein, the terms or phrases "operating goal", "operation goal", and similar terms, in addition to their ordinary meanings, also refer to target values or constraints imposed on the systems and / or their components described herein. For example, an operating goal or in some cases a constraint may include a target torque value, a target power value, a maximum allowable power output, a target fuel economy value, a target emission value (e.g., an emission constraint on the system, such as an NOx limit, a greenhouse gas limit, etc.), or other target / constraint values described herein. An operating goal may be defined by a user input, such as depressing an accelerator pedal (e.g., a desired vehicle speed). An operating goal may be or include a mission characterized by one or more mission characteristics, such as a target distance of the system (e.g., reaching a desired location), a target destination, a target fuel economy for a trip, etc. An operating goal may be defined by a third party, such as a government agency or a regulatory body, which may correspond to the location of the system. For example, a government agency may set a maximum emission output value for the system when it is in a particular area. Thus, an operating goal may include one or more target values, system missions, third-party defined target values, etc.

[0017] As described herein, an engine system can include an engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system in exhaust receiving communication with the engine. The engine can be coupled to one or more components (such as an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold), and include a cylinder block having one or more cylinders. The exhaust aftertreatment system can include one or more components, such as a particulate filter configured to remove particulate matter (such as soot) from the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust aftertreatment system, an injection module (such as an injector) configured to supply a dosing fluid to the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust gas system, and one or more catalyst devices configured to facilitate the conversion of exhaust gas components (such as nitrogen oxides, NOx) into less harmful substances (such as water, nitrogen), such as a diesel oxidation catalyst, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, a three-way catalyst, etc. A control system or controller can monitor one or more parameters of the engine system components using one or more sensors (such as physical sensors and / or virtual sensors) to collect and / or determine sensor data. The control system can analyze the sensor data and compare the analyzed sensor data with one or more thresholds. The control system can determine that one or more cylinders may be abnormal (such as not operating as expected, experiencing one or more error / failure conditions, malfunctioning or likely to malfunction, etc.) based on the analyzed sensor data exceeding a maximum threshold, falling below a minimum threshold, or not falling within a predefined desired / acceptable range. Abnormal cylinders can have an adverse impact on the performance of the engine and the overall system, such as by increasing harmful exhaust emissions (such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides, particulate matter, etc.), reducing fuel economy, reducing engine power output, and / or the like. As described herein, the control system can initialize an improved engine (or more generally the system) operating mode to account for and address the issue of the one or more abnormal cylinders by temporarily disabling the abnormal engine cylinders.

[0018] Technically and advantageously, the systems, methods, and devices described herein provide an improved control system that uses sensor data to determine an improved operating mode of an engine system. The control systems described herein advantageously utilize specific control strategies to determine one or more parameters of the improved operating mode to meet one or more target operating objectives, such as a NOx conversion objective (e.g., a target amount of NOx reduced by SCR, also referred to as deNOx) and / or engine output (e.g., engine output torque, speed, power, etc.). Additionally, when one or more components of the engine system (e.g., one or more cylinders) are abnormal or potentially abnormal, the systems and methods described herein advantageously optimize aftertreatment efficiency (e.g., deNOx) and engine output by using specific computer-based processes, providing a technical solution to the technical problem of enabling an improved operating mode for the engine system. Advantageously and in some embodiments, the improved operating mode is automatically enabled (e.g., without user input) and dynamically adjusted based on the operating conditions of the engine system.

[0019] In one example scenario, a control system (e.g., a controller, a vehicle controller, etc.) is configured to determine whether one or more components of an engine system (e.g., one or more cylinders) are abnormal or potentially abnormal. The control system may use one or more sensors (e.g., physical sensors and / or virtual sensors) to detect (receive or determine) data corresponding to the one or more cylinders (e.g., “cylinder data”). The cylinder data may include one or more operating parameters indicating the performance of each cylinder (e.g., cylinder pressure via a cylinder pressure sensor, cylinder temperature, cylinder heat map via an infrared thermal imager, etc.). The control system may analyze the cylinder data by using one or more of a look-up table, a statistical model (e.g., a regression model, a machine learning model, etc.), and / or another process to compare the one or more parameters to corresponding thresholds (e.g., determining whether a parameter is above a corresponding maximum threshold, below a minimum threshold, or outside a threshold range). The control system may determine that the one or more cylinders are abnormal or potentially abnormal based on the analysis of the cylinder data. The control system may initialize an improved operating mode of the engine based on determining that the one or more cylinders are abnormal or potentially abnormal.

[0020] In some embodiments, the improved operating mode may include adjusting one or more operating parameters of the engine. In these embodiments, the control system may analyze the type of fault or potential fault in an abnormal cylinder and determine whether the type of fault can be repaired or may be repairable. For example, the control system may determine that the type of fault can be repaired by adjusting one or more operating parameters of the cylinder or the engine (such as air-fuel ratio, ignition timing, etc.). In some embodiments, for example, when the control system determines that the type of fault cannot or may not be repaired by adjusting one or more operating parameters of the cylinder, the control system may initialize the improved operating mode of the engine.

[0021] In some embodiments, the improved operating mode may include a cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode. The cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode is a general term that encompasses various related but different cylinder deactivation operating modes. The first type of CDA operating mode is called "fixed cylinder CDA". In the fixed cylinder CDA operating mode, the same cylinders are in the active / inactive state during each engine cycle in the fixed cylinder CDA operating mode. The second type of CDA operating mode is called the "skip fire" or "dynamic skip fire" (DSF) operating mode. In the DSF CDA mode, one or more cylinders are deactivated / non-active (e.g., no combustion occurs) on a cycle-by-cycle basis. Thus, a cylinder may be non-active in the first engine cycle and active in the second engine cycle. An "active" cylinder means that combustion is allowed to occur in that cylinder. An "inactive" or "deactivated" cylinder means that combustion is not allowed to occur in that cylinder. In either of the above types of CDA operating modes, one or more cylinders may be deactivated until a reactivation condition is met. The reactivation threshold may include a threshold of the torque or power demand of the engine, an increase in torque or power demand, a service event, an indication that a fault code has been cleared, and / or an indication that the deactivated cylinder is not abnormal or may not be abnormal. The present disclosure applies to each type of CDA operating mode, and unless otherwise specified, the term CDA mode or CDA operating mode is intended to encompass all such operating modes.

[0022] Accordingly, the control system can automatically deactivate a cylinder when detecting and / or determining a mechanical problem and / or a combustion problem. The mechanical problem and / or the combustion problem can be a recurring problem (e.g., a problem occurring within a predetermined period, such as a predetermined time period, a predetermined number of engine cycles, etc.). Additionally, the mechanical problem and / or the combustion problem can be specific to a particular cylinder (e.g., at least one of a plurality of cylinders). As described in more detail herein, the mechanical problem can include one or more of the functions of a piston, piston ring, cylinder liner, intake valve, exhaust valve, top dead center activation system, injector, glow plug, or spark plug. These problems can lead to undesirable results such as misfires, low torque output, high cylinder outlet NOx, high cylinder outlet particulate matter levels, etc.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control system can report an abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinder to one or more remote computing systems. In some embodiments, the controller can be configured to communicatively couple with one or more computing systems external to the engine system (such as a cloud computing system). The controller can provide engine data including information indicating the abnormal cylinder to the external computing system. In some embodiments, the controller can determine that the engine has been tampered with based on one or more parameters exceeding a maximum threshold, falling below a minimum threshold, or not falling within a predefined desired / acceptable range. For example, when the controller detects (e.g., via one or more sensors) that the number of abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders is greater than a predefined threshold number, the controller can determine that the engine system has been tampered with or may have been tampered with. In some embodiments, tampering can include unauthorized adjustment of the air-fuel ratio (AFR). Information regarding tampering can also be provided to one or more remote computing systems.

[0024] Now referring to Figure 1 A, there is shown a system 100 according to an example embodiment. The system 100 includes an engine system 118 (which includes an engine 101 and an aftertreatment system 120), an operator input / output (I / O) device 130, a vehicle subsystem 135, and a controller 140, where the controller 140 is communicatively coupled to each of the above components. In Figure 1 this configuration, the system 100 is included in a vehicle. The vehicle can be any type of on-road or off-road vehicle, including but not limited to wheel loaders, forklifts, semi-trailer trucks, medium-duty trucks (e.g., pickup trucks, etc.), sedans, coupes, tanks, airplanes, ships, and any other type of vehicle. In another embodiment, the system 100 can be embodied in a stationary device, such as a generator or a generator set. All of these variants are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] The engine 101 can be any type of internal combustion engine. The engine can generate exhaust gases. The engine 101 can be fueled by gasoline (e.g., a spark ignition engine), natural gas, diesel fuel, or other types of fuel. In some embodiments, the engine 101 can be part of a hybrid engine system (e.g., a combination of an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors). In some embodiments, the engine 101 is configured as a spark ignition (SI) engine. In other embodiments, the engine 101 is configured as a compression ignition (CI) engine. In the illustrated example, the engine 101 is a diesel-driven compression ignition engine.

[0026] The aftertreatment system 120 can include various components and systems for reducing exhaust emissions, such as a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), a diesel particulate filter (DPF), a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injector (doser) with a diesel exhaust fluid supply, a plurality of sensors for monitoring the aftertreatment system (e.g., nitrogen oxide (NOx) sensors, temperature sensors, etc.), and / or other components.

[0027] Still referring to Figure 1 A, an operator input / output (I / O) device 130 is also shown. The operator I / O device 130 can be coupled to the controller 140 such that information can be exchanged between the controller 140 and the I / O device 130, where the information can relate to Figure 1 one or more components of A or a determination by the controller 140 (described below). The operator I / O device 130 enables an operator of the system 100 to communicate with the controller 140 and Figure 1 one or more components of the system 100 of A. For example, the operator input / output device 130 can include, but is not limited to, an interactive display, a touchscreen device, one or more buttons and switches, a voice command receiver, etc. In this way, the operator input / output device 130 can provide one or more indications or notifications to the operator, such as a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), etc. Additionally, the vehicle can include a port that enables the controller 140 to connect or couple to a scan tool, whereby fault codes and other information about the vehicle can be obtained.

[0028] The vehicle subsystem 135 can include one or more components, including mechanically driven or electrically driven vehicle components. The vehicle subsystem 135 can include, but is not limited to, an HVAC system, lights, pumps, fans, etc.

[0029] The structure of controller 140 is used to at least partially control the operation of system 100 and associated subsystems (such as engine 101 and operator input / output (I / O) device 130). Communication between components can be carried out through any number of wired or wireless connections. For example, wired connections can include serial cables, fiber optic cables, CAT5 cables, or any other form of wired connection. In contrast, wireless connections can include the Internet, Wi-Fi, cellular networks, radio, etc. In one embodiment, a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus provides the exchange of signals, information, and / or data. The CAN bus includes any number of wired and wireless connections. Since controller 140 is communicatively coupled to Figure 1 the systems and components of A, the structure of controller 140 is used to receive data from Figure 1 one or more components as shown in A. The structure and function of controller 140 are further described in Figure 2 .

[0030] Since Figure 1 the components of A are embodied as system 100, controller 140 can be configured as one or more electronic control units (ECUs), such as one or more microcontrollers. Controller 140 can be separate from or included in at least one of a transmission control unit, an exhaust aftertreatment control unit, a powertrain control module, an engine control module, etc.

[0031] As shown, system 100 includes one or more sensors 125. The number, location, and type of sensors included in aftertreatment system 120 are shown for illustrative purposes only. That is, in other configurations, the number, location, and type of sensors can be different. Sensors 125 can be exhaust gas emission component sensors (such as NOx sensors, temperature sensors, particulate matter (PM) sensors, etc.), flow rate sensors, pressure sensors, some combination thereof, etc.

[0032] Sensors 125 can be located inside or near engine 101, after engine 101 and before aftertreatment system 120, after aftertreatment system 120, inside the aftertreatment system (such as coupled to one or more components of aftertreatment system 120, etc.), upstream of engine 101, etc. It should be understood that the location of the sensors can vary. In one embodiment, sensors 125 can be provided both before and after aftertreatment system 120. As Figure 1As shown in FIG. B, the sensor 125 can be located within or near the intake manifold 102 and / or the exhaust manifold 104 of the engine 101. In one embodiment, at least one sensor is configured as an exhaust gas component sensor (e.g., a CO, NOx, PM, SOx, etc. sensor). In another embodiment, at least one sensor 125 is configured as a non-exhaust gas component sensor (e.g., temperature, flow rate, pressure, etc.) for estimating exhaust emissions. The system 100 can also include other sensors. The sensors can include sensors related to the engine (e.g., torque sensor, speed sensor, pressure sensor, flow rate sensor, temperature sensor, etc.). The sensors can also include sensors related to other components of the vehicle (e.g., speed sensor of the turbocharger, fuel quantity and injection rate sensor, fuel rail pressure sensor, etc.).

[0033] The sensor 125 can be real or virtual (i.e., a non-physical sensor that is configured as program logic in the controller 140 for making various estimations or determinations). For example, the engine speed sensor can be a real or virtual sensor that is arranged to measure or otherwise obtain data, values, or information indicating the speed of the engine 101 (usually expressed in revolutions per minute). When configured as a real sensor, the sensor is coupled to the engine and is configured to send a signal indicating the speed of the engine 101 to the controller 140. When configured as a virtual sensor, the controller 140 can use at least one input in an algorithm, model, look-up table, etc. to determine or estimate an engine parameter (e.g., power output, etc.). Any sensor 125 described herein can be real or virtual.

[0034] The controller 140 is coupled to the sensor 125, specifically communicatively coupled to the sensor 125. Thus, the structure of the controller 140 is for receiving data from one or more sensors 125 and providing instructions / information to one or more sensors 125. The controller 140 can use the received data to control one or more components in the system 100 and / or for monitoring the system 100 and / or controlling one or more components of the system 100.

[0035] Now referring to Figure 1 FIG. B, a schematic block diagram of an Figure 1 engine 101 according to an example embodiment is shown. The engine 101 includes an intake manifold 102, a cylinder block 103, and an exhaust manifold 104. The cylinder block 103 includes at least one cylinder 110. As Figure 1 shown in FIG. B, the cylinder block 103 includes six cylinders 110. However, it should be understood that the engine 101 can include more or fewer cylinders (e.g., 4 cylinders, 8 cylinders, etc.). Additionally, the cylinders 110 can be arranged in any cylinder configuration (e.g., in-line cylinders, V-arrangement, etc.). Figure 1Also shown in B, the cylinder 110 is divided into a first cylinder group or bank 108 and a second cylinder group or bank 109. It should be understood that the cylinders can be divided into more or fewer groups than shown in Figure 1 B.

[0036] Each cylinder 110 includes at least one corresponding intake valve 112 and at least one corresponding exhaust valve 114. The intake valve 112 is at least partially located within the cylinder 110 and is configured to selectively open to allow air (or an air mixture containing other fluids or gases) to enter the cylinder and to close to prevent air (or an air mixture containing other fluids or gases) from entering the cylinder. The exhaust valve 114 is at least partially located within the cylinder 110 and is configured to open to allow at least the exhaust gas from combustion to leave the cylinder. For example, an actuator controlled by the controller 140 can operate the intake valve 112 and / or the exhaust valve 114 between an open position and a closed position. In this way, the intake valve 112 and / or the exhaust valve 114 can be selectively opened or closed to control the amount of air (e.g., ambient air) flowing from the intake manifold 102 into the cylinder 110. For example, in at least a partially open position, the intake valve 112 allows air (e.g., ambient air) to flow from the intake manifold 102 into the cylinder 110. In the closed position, the intake valve 112 prevents or substantially prevents air from flowing into the cylinder 110. In the open position, the exhaust valve 114 allows the exhaust gas to flow out of the cylinder 110 and toward the exhaust manifold 104. In the closed position, the exhaust valve 114 prevents or substantially prevents the exhaust gas (or other trapped gases) from flowing out of the cylinder 110.

[0037] The intake manifold 102 can be configured to direct ambient air to the cylinder block 103. In some embodiments, the intake manifold 102 includes an intake throttle (IAT) valve 106 for controlling the flow of ambient air or boosted air to the cylinder block 103. The IAT valve 106 can operate between a closed position and an open position. For example, an actuator controlled by the controller 140 can operate the IAT valve 106 between an open position and a closed position. In this way, the IAT valve 106 can be positioned to control the amount of air (e.g., ambient air) flowing into the intake manifold 102. In some embodiments, the intake valve 112 can be located within the intake manifold 102 such that each intake valve 112 controls the air flow from the intake manifold 102 to the corresponding cylinder 110 of the cylinder block 103.

[0038] The exhaust manifold 104 can be configured to direct the exhaust gas from the cylinder block 103 to the aftertreatment system 120. In some embodiments, the exhaust manifold 104 can include one or more exhaust valves for controlling the air flow from the cylinder block 103 to the aftertreatment system 120. In some embodiments, each of the one or more exhaust valves controls the air flow to the corresponding cylinder 110 of the cylinder block 103.

[0039] Reference now Figure 2 , showing an exemplary embodiment of the Figure 1 Schematic diagram of controller 140 of system 100. As shown, controller 140 includes at least one processing circuit 202 (which has at least one processor 204 and at least one storage device 206), sensor management circuit 210, engine control circuit 212, and communication interface 216. The structure of controller 140 is used to monitor engine 101 and aftertreatment system 120, and enable improved engine operating mode based on monitoring of engine and / or aftertreatment system 120. More specifically, controller 140 can determine one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders and operate engine 101 in an improved engine operating mode so that engine 101 meets or attempts to meet one or more operating goals, while mitigating continued use of potentially abnormal cylinders to prevent potential further damage.

[0040] In one configuration, the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 are embodied as a machine or computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor (e.g., processor 204). As described herein and in other uses, machine readable media facilitates the performance of certain operations to achieve the reception and transmission of data. For example, a machine readable medium may provide instructions (e.g., commands, etc.) to (for example) acquire data. In this regard, the machine readable medium may include programmable logic for defining the frequency of data acquisition (or data transmission). The computer readable medium instructions may include code that may be written in any programming language (including, but not limited to, Java or similar languages) and any conventional procedural programming language (e.g., "C" programming language or similar programming languages). The computer readable program code may be executed on one processor or multiple remote processors. In the latter case, the remote processors may be interconnected via any type of network (e.g., CAN bus, etc.).

[0041] In another configuration, the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 are embodied as hardware units, such as one or more electronic control units. Thus, the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 can be embodied as one or more circuit components, including but not limited to processing circuits, network interfaces, peripherals, input devices, output devices, sensors, etc. In some embodiments, the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 can take the form of one or more analog circuits, electronic circuits (such as integrated circuits (ICs), discrete circuits, system-on-chip (SOC) circuits, microcontrollers, etc.), telecommunication circuits, hybrid circuits, and any other type of "circuit". In this regard, the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 can include any type of component for accomplishing or facilitating the operations described herein. For example, the circuits described herein can include one or more transistors, logic gates (such as NAND, AND, NOR, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR, etc.), resistors, multiplexers, registers, capacitors, inductors, diodes, wiring, etc. The sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 can also include or be a programmable hardware device, such as a field programmable gate array, programmable array logic, programmable logic device, or similar device. The sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 can include one or more storage devices for storing instructions executable by a processor of the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212. The one or more storage devices and the processor can have the same definitions as provided below for the storage device 206 and the processor 204. In some hardware unit configurations, the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 can be geographically dispersed at different locations in the vehicle. Alternatively and as shown, the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 can be embodied within or as a single unit / enclosure, which is shown as the controller 140.

[0042] In the example shown, the controller 140 includes a processing circuit 202 having a processor 204 and a storage device 206. The processing circuit 202 can be constructed or configured to execute or implement the instructions, commands, and / or control processes described herein with respect to the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212. The configuration shown represents the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 being embodied as a machine or computer-readable medium storing instructions. However, as described above, this illustration is not intended to be limiting, as the present disclosure contemplates other embodiments in which at least one of the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 is configured as a hardware unit. All such combinations and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0043] The processor 204 may be implemented as one or more single-chip or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or suitable processors (e.g., other programmable logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. for performing the functions described herein). The processor may be a microprocessor, a group of processors, etc. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, the combination of one or more microprocessors and a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, one or more processors may be shared by multiple circuits (e.g., the sensor management circuit 210 and / or the engine control circuit 212 may include or otherwise share the same processor, which in some example embodiments may execute instructions stored in or otherwise accessed through different storage areas). Alternatively or additionally, one or more processors may be configured to execute or otherwise perform certain operations independently of one or more coprocessors. In other example embodiments, two or more processors may be coupled by a bus to enable independent, parallel, pipelined, or multithreaded instruction execution. All such variations are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] The storage device 206 (e.g., memory, storage unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and / or computer code to complete or facilitate the various processes, layers, and modules described in the present disclosure. For example, the storage device 206 may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The storage device 206 may be communicatively coupled to the processor 204 to provide the processor 204 with computer code or instructions for performing at least some of the processes described herein. Additionally, the storage device 206 may be or include a tangible, non-transitory volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Thus, the storage device 206 may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described herein.

[0045] The communication interface 216 may include any combination of wired and / or wireless interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, terminals) for data communication with various systems, devices, or networks configured to enable in-vehicle communication (e.g., between vehicle components) and out-of-vehicle communication (e.g., with a remote server). For example, with respect to out-of-vehicle / system communication, the communication interface 216 may include an Ethernet card and port for sending and receiving data over an Ethernet-based communication network and / or a Wi-Fi transceiver for communicating over a wireless communication network. The communication interface 216 may be configured to communicate over a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., the Internet) and may use various communication protocols (e.g., IP, LON, Bluetooth, ZigBee, radio, cellular network, near field communication).

[0046] In some embodiments, the communication interface 216 may be configured to communicatively couple with an external computing system 190. The external computing system 190 may be located external to the system 100 and may include at least one of a cloud computing system or other external computing systems. The external computing system 190 may be associated with a manufacturer of the system 100 or its components (e.g., OEM), a customer of the manufacturer, an operator of the system 100 (e.g., a fleet operator), a service / technician computing system, a government agency (e.g., an emissions compliance agency, etc.), and / or any other group or individual. Accordingly, the controller 140 may selectively provide information to the external computing system 190 via the communication interface 216 for remote tracking, diagnostics, and other purposes.

[0047] The structure or configuration of the sensor management circuit 210 is for controlling the operation of the sensors 125. For example, the sensor management circuit 210 may be configured to generate one or more control signals and transmit the control signals to one or more sensors 125 (e.g., to obtain data, etc.). The control signals may cause one or more sensors 125 to sense and / or detect sensor data and / or provide the sensor data to the sensor management circuit 210. In some embodiments, the sensor management circuit 210 may be configured to estimate sensor data (e.g., when the sensor 125 is a virtual sensor). "Sensor data" may include temperature data (e.g., fluid temperature, such as exhaust gas temperature or engine oil temperature; component temperature, such as engine temperature, etc.), flow rate data (e.g., exhaust gas flow rate data, boost air flow rate, etc.), pressure data (e.g., engine cylinder pressure, coolant pressure, etc.), and / or other data related to the operation of the system 100.

[0048] The structure of the engine control circuit 212 is configured to at least partially control the operation of the engine system 118 (such as the engine 101, the aftertreatment system 120, and / or its components). For example, the engine control circuit 212 can be configured to regulate the operation of one or more components of the engine 101 (such as the cylinder 110). In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 includes a valve circuit 214 and a CDA circuit 215.

[0049] The structure or configuration of the valve circuit 214 is configured to control the operation of the IAT valve 106, the intake valve 112, and / or the exhaust valve 114. For example, the valve circuit 214 can control one or more actuators for adjusting the position of the IAT valve 106, the intake valve 112, and / or the exhaust valve 114 (such as between an open position and a closed position). In some embodiments, the valve circuit 214 is configured to adjust the valve timing (such as when the actuator opens or closes the valve) and / or adjust the intake valve lift (such as the position of the valve when the actuator opens the valve). In some embodiments, the valve circuit 214 can close one or more intake valves 112 to achieve cylinder deactivation of CDA by preventing air or boost air from entering the cylinder. In some embodiments, the valve circuit 214 is configured to selectively open / close the intake valve 112 and / or the exhaust valve 114 to switch between active cylinders and deactivated cylinders.

[0050] The structure or configuration of the CDA circuit 215 is configured to control the operation of the CDA mode of the engine. The CDA circuit 215 can command the valve (such as the intake valve) to close to deactivate the cylinder (or, command the valve circuit 214 to close the intake valve to deactivate the cylinder and at least partially open the intake valve to activate the cylinder). The CDA circuit 215 can also control the operation of the fuel supply system of the engine 101. In some embodiments, the CDA circuit 215 can adjust the fuel injection value of the injector (such as the fuel injection quantity, the fuel injection timing, etc.). For example, the CDA circuit 215 can control the injector to change the fuel quantity and / or timing supplied to the cylinder. In some embodiments, the CDA circuit is configured to disable fuel injection to deactivate the cylinder. In some embodiments, the CDA circuit 215 can adjust the spark ignition value of the spark assist device (such as the ignition timing, the ignition duration, etc.) to achieve CDA in a spark ignition engine (disable the spark assist device of one or more cylinders selected for deactivation).

[0051] In some embodiments, in response to determining that one or more cylinders 110 are abnormal or potentially abnormal, the engine control circuit 212 may cause the engine 101 to operate in an improved operating mode. The improved operating mode may include adjusting one or more operating parameters of one or more cylinders 110, and / or deactivating the one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110, as part of initiating the CDA / DSF operating mode for the engine. Specifically, the valve circuit 214 and / or the structure of the CDA circuit 215 are configured to modify the operation of one or more components of the engine system 118. As briefly described above, the valve circuit 214 may control the operation of the IAT valve 106, the intake valve 112, and / or the exhaust valve 114. During operation in a non-CDA / DSF mode, both the intake valve 112 and the exhaust valve 114 are selectively opened and closed during the engine cycle to allow air to enter the cylinder, for combustion, and to direct exhaust gases out of the active cylinder. When the engine system is in the CDA / DSF mode, the intake valve 112 of the deactivated cylinder may remain closed, thereby preventing at least air from entering the deactivated cylinder and mixing with fuel to cause combustion. In some embodiments, the exhaust valve 114 of the deactivated cylinder remains closed because no exhaust gases are generated in the deactivated cylinder. In other embodiments, during the CDA / DSF mode, the intake valve 112 and the exhaust valve 114 of the deactivated cylinder are allowed to selectively open and close, similar to operation during a non-firing CDA mode, but no combustion occurs because no fuel is injected into the deactivated cylinder (compression ignition engine) or a spark is commanded at the deactivated cylinder (spark ignition engine) (e.g., by the CDA circuit 215). In these embodiments, air circulates in the deactivated cylinder but does not combust. Thus, relative to a normal or non-improved operating mode, the improved operating mode may result in different operating parameters that may be desirable according to the received operating objectives (e.g., keeping emissions below a predetermined value, etc.).

[0052] Advantageously, the engine control circuit 212 may cause the engine 101 to operate in an improved operating mode so that the system 100 can achieve or attempt to achieve the operating objectives even in the case where one or more cylinders 110 are abnormal. The improved operating mode may prevent the abnormal cylinders 110 from deteriorating and / or having a negative impact on the performance of the engine 101 or the overall system (e.g., resulting in undesirable emissions, etc.). The negative impacts may include increasing exhaust gas emissions above a predetermined maximum threshold, increasing engine vibration above a predetermined maximum threshold, reducing fuel economy below a predetermined minimum threshold, and so on. For example, the improved operating mode may reduce the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) associated with the abnormal cylinders 110 and protect the mechanical components of the engine 101.

[0053] The controller 140 can determine one or more cylinder anomalies or potential anomalies based on data corresponding to the cylinder 110 (e.g., “cylinder data”). The cylinder data can include information indicating mechanical problems of the cylinder 110 (e.g., problems related to the function of any of the piston, piston rings, cylinder liner, etc.). For example, piston ring problems may result in insufficient compression for burning the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder 110. In some embodiments, when the engine is configured as an SI engine, the cylinder data can include information indicating mechanical problems of the cylinder 110 (e.g., problems with the functions of the piston, piston rings, cylinder liner, spark plug, glow plug, etc.). In any of the above embodiments (e.g., in a CI engine or an SI engine), the cylinder data can include information indicating mechanical or other problems of the cylinder 110 (e.g., problems with the intake valve 112, exhaust valve, fuel injector, top dead center activation system, etc.) that have an adverse effect on the operation of the cylinder.

[0054] For example, the fuel injector can be configured to provide a predetermined amount of fuel to one of the cylinders 110 at a predetermined fuel injection timing. The controller 140 can determine a fuel injector fault based on determining that the fuel injector provides more than the predetermined amount of fuel, the fuel injector provides less than the predetermined amount of fuel, the fuel injector provides fuel at an incorrect fuel injection timing, fuel leaks or "drips" from the fuel injector, and / or other problems associated with the fuel injector (e.g., via one or more fuel pressure and / or flow sensors). As another example, problems with the intake valve 112 and / or the exhaust valve can include valve activation problems where the valve is stuck in a certain position (e.g., closed position, open position, or in between). More examples of abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders can include cylinder misfires (e.g., based on knock sensor readings), reduced cylinder torque output, excessive NOx at the cylinder outlet, and / or excessive particulate matter levels at the cylinder outlet. In some embodiments, the controller 140 can determine that one or more of the cylinders 110 are abnormal, potentially abnormal, or may become abnormal in the future by comparing cylinder data to one or more thresholds. In some embodiments, the cylinder data can include sensor data such as engine torque output, engine speed, and / or exhaust manifold pressure. The controller 140 can determine that one or more of the cylinders 110 are abnormal, potentially abnormal, or may become abnormal in the future by comparing the engine torque output to a requested torque amount (e.g., the requested torque amount is a minimum threshold). If the engine torque output is less than the requested torque amount, the controller 140 can determine that one or more of the cylinders 110 are abnormal, potentially abnormal, or may become abnormal in the future. In some embodiments, an engine position and / or speed sensor of the crankshaft can be used to measure the engine speed (e.g., engine RPM). The controller 140 can determine that one or more of the cylinders 110 are abnormal, potentially abnormal, or may become abnormal in the future based on fluctuations in the engine speed (e.g., detecting "roughness" in the engine speed signal). In some embodiments, pressure values such as engine cylinder pressure, exhaust manifold pressure, etc., can be detected by a pressure sensor or determined by a virtual sensor. One or more pressure values can be a "pulse" or pressure change corresponding to a cylinder ignition event. The pressure values can be compared to a pressure threshold to determine whether a particular cylinder 110 is abnormal, potentially abnormal, or may become abnormal in the future. In yet another embodiment, the pressure value can be a crankcase pressure value. If the crankcase pressure value exceeds a maximum crankcase pressure threshold, the controller 140 can determine that one or more of the cylinders 110 are abnormal, potentially abnormal, or may become abnormal in the future.

[0055] As described above, the cylinder data can include sensor data (e.g., data received from sensor 125). Thus, the cylinder data can include one or more operating parameters of the engine system (e.g., target air-fuel ratio, target fuel pressure, target fuel quantity, target engine or cylinder temperature, target cylinder pressure, etc.). In some embodiments, the sensor data can include data from sensors 125 that are physically separated from cylinder 110 but correspond to the input or output of one or more cylinders. The sensor data can include exhaust gas component values (e.g., NOx value, oxygen value, particulate matter value, etc.), exhaust gas temperature value, exhaust gas pressure value, cylinder pressure value, cylinder intake value, and / or other data indicating one of the above abnormal cylinder types. Other and / or alternative examples of sensor data include cylinder pressure value, crankcase blow-by value (e.g., temperature value, pressure value, flow rate value, etc.), pressure value at exhaust manifold 104, etc.

[0056] In some embodiments, the sensor data can include data corresponding to each cylinder 110. As Figure 1 shown in FIG. B, sensors 125 can be located at intake manifold 102 and / or exhaust manifold 104. In these embodiments, sensors 125 can be configured to detect sensor data such that controller 140 can associate the sensor data with a particular cylinder 110. For example, sensors 125 can be configured to detect sensor data such that controller 140 can associate the sensor data with the ignition event of the corresponding cylinder 110. In other embodiments, sensors 125 can be located at the inlet and / or outlet of each cylinder 110 to obtain sensor data specific to each cylinder 110 or a subset of cylinders.

[0057] The controller 140 can compare the cylinder data (which may include sensor data corresponding to a particular cylinder 110) with the corresponding predetermined cylinder thresholds to determine whether the particular cylinder 110 is abnormal or potentially abnormal. In some embodiments, the controller 140 can isolate one or more cylinders to analyze the cylinder data corresponding to the one or more isolated cylinders. In some embodiments, the sensor 125 can be configured as a "fast" sensor capable of detecting sensor data corresponding to the ignition event of a desired cylinder (where "fast" corresponds to a data acquisition rate higher than a predetermined threshold), such that the fast sensor can isolate the sensor data from each cylinder 110. The sensor data from the fast sensor can include emission values (e.g., NOx output value, oxygen output value, etc.), temperature values, pressure values, etc. corresponding to the isolated / desired cylinder. In some embodiments, the fast sensor is located within the exhaust manifold 104 such that the sensor 125 can detect the sensor data from each cylinder 110, and the controller 140 can determine the EONOx value based on each cylinder. For example, the controller 140 can compare the NOx output of the isolated cylinder 110 with the cylinder NOx threshold. In another example, the controller 140 can compare the temperature and / or pressure values of the isolated cylinder 110 with the cylinder temperature threshold and / or the cylinder pressure threshold, respectively. If the cylinder data of the cylinder 110 does not meet the corresponding cylinder threshold (e.g., greater than the maximum threshold, less than the minimum threshold, or outside the threshold range), the controller 140 can determine that the cylinder 110 is abnormal or potentially abnormal. If the cylinder data of the cylinder 110 meets the corresponding cylinder threshold (e.g., less than the maximum threshold, greater than the minimum threshold, or within the threshold range), the controller 140 can determine that the cylinder 110 is not abnormal or potentially not abnormal.

[0058] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 can be configured to determine whether one or more cylinders 110 are abnormal or potentially abnormal by using an intrusive diagnostic process. The intrusive diagnostic process refers to the forced manipulation of one or more components, which may cause one or more components to operate outside the predefined calibration operating range. The intrusive diagnosis can be performed in a repair shop. In contrast, the passive diagnosis can be performed during the operation of the engine system / vehicle (i.e., it runs / executes in the background). For example, based on detecting that one or more engine outputs (e.g., EONOx, engine output torque or power, engine temperature) exceed the threshold, the engine control circuit 212 can use the intrusive diagnostic process to determine the particular cylinder that causes the output to exceed the threshold. In one exemplary embodiment, the engine control circuit 212 can selectively deactivate one or more cylinders 110 according to a predetermined cylinder deactivation mode sequence. For example, the engine control circuit 212 can deactivate each cylinder 110 in a predetermined order within a predetermined period (e.g., time period, number of engine cycles, number of cylinder cycles, etc.).

[0059] For example, when the engine includes six cylinders 110, the engine control circuit 212 can isolate each cylinder 110 to determine whether the cylinder is abnormal or potentially abnormal. The engine control circuit 212 can deactivate the first cylinder for a predetermined period. The engine control circuit 212 can receive first sensor data corresponding to the deactivation of the first cylinder (e.g., data corresponding to the active cylinders). After the predetermined period, the engine control circuit 212 can deactivate the second cylinder for a predetermined period and receive second sensor data corresponding to the deactivation of the second cylinder. The engine control circuit 212 can continue to individually deactivate each cylinder 110 until all six cylinders 110 have been deactivated and the engine control circuit 212 has received sensor data corresponding to the deactivation of each cylinder 110. As described above, the sensor data can include temperature values, pressure values, emission values, etc. The sensor data can correspond to each active cylinder separately and / or to the cumulative output of all active cylinders. If, when a particular cylinder is deactivated, a previously occurring undesired event (e.g., emissions exceeding a predetermined threshold) does not occur, the controller 140 can isolate the potential damage (e.g., a fault) to that particular cylinder. If not identified, the controller 140 can then deactivate two cylinders at a time and then three cylinders at a time to progressively identify one or more potentially abnormal cylinders.

[0060] In this regard, the engine control circuit 212 can receive cylinder data corresponding to the active cylinders for each cylinder deactivation mode of a predetermined sequence and compare the cylinder data with one or more thresholds. For example, the engine control circuit 212 can compare the NOx output of the active cylinders with a NOx threshold, compare the temperature output of the active cylinders with a temperature threshold, and so on. Based on comparing the cylinder data with one or more thresholds, the engine control circuit 212 can determine whether deactivating one or more cylinders has resolved the problem. In response to determining that deactivating one or more cylinders 110 has resolved the problem (e.g., reducing emissions below a predetermined threshold), the engine control circuit 212 can determine that the deactivated cylinder 110 is abnormal or potentially abnormal (e.g., when the cylinder is active, the NOx output is higher than the threshold, and when the cylinder is deactivated, it is lower than the threshold, which may indicate a problem with the cylinder). For example, if deactivating the second cylinder of a six-cylinder engine 101 causes a cylinder data value that previously exceeded a corresponding threshold to drop below the corresponding threshold, the engine control circuit 212 can determine that the second cylinder is abnormal. As a specific example, if deactivating the second cylinder of a six-cylinder engine 101 causes the cumulative NOx value of the active cylinders to drop below the NOx threshold, the engine control circuit 212 can determine that the second cylinder is abnormal or potentially abnormal.

[0061] In some embodiments, based on comparing cylinder data with one or more thresholds, the engine control circuit 212 may determine whether one or more active cylinders correspond to a problem / failure. In response to determining that one or more active cylinders correspond to a problem, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that the active cylinder 110 is abnormal or potentially abnormal. For example, if deactivating the first and third to sixth cylinders of a six-cylinder engine 101 does not cause the cylinder data values that previously exceeded the corresponding thresholds to drop below the corresponding thresholds, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that the second cylinder is abnormal.

[0062] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that one or more cylinders 110 may be abnormal in the future based on cylinder data. For example, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that a cylinder may be abnormal in the future by comparing the cylinder data with one or more thresholds related to potential future failure or problem indication. The cylinder data may include cylinder pressure values, crankcase blow-by values (e.g., temperature values, pressure values, flow rate values, etc.), pressure values at the exhaust manifold 104, etc. Based on comparing the cylinder data with one or more thresholds, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that one or more cylinders 110 have deteriorated and may be abnormal in the future (in which case, a failure occurs). For example, the cylinder data may exceed, be below, or within a range indicating operating ability at a specific moment but indicating a future failure. These thresholds may be stored in a look-up table and retrieved by the circuit 212. In contrast, if the cylinder data exceeds, is below, or outside a range indicating operating ability and is not desired, the controller may determine that the cylinder data indicates an abnormal cylinder. Regarding the former and latter cases as described herein, the engine control circuit 212 may take preemptive measures to protect the health of one or more cylinders 110 (i.e., mitigate potential failures). The preemptive measures may include activating the CDA operating mode, in which one or more potentially abnormal cylinders 110 are deactivated. The CDA operating mode may be temporary (e.g., within a predetermined time period or number of engine cycles) or until a reactivation condition is received or met. Advantageously, the CDA operating mode may mitigate further deterioration of one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders.

[0063] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may be configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of an abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinder 110. In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust one or more parameters of the IAT valve 106, intake valve 112, and / or exhaust valve 114 (e.g., adjust intake valve timing and / or adjust intake valve lift via the valve circuit 214). In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust the fuel value (e.g., adjust the fuel injection quantity, adjust the fuel injection timing via the CDA circuit 215).

[0064] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust the injection strategy in the aftertreatment system 120 (e.g., if the controller 140 determines that cylinder 110 is not mechanically abnormal or potentially mechanically abnormal and the emission output of one or more cylinders 110 exceeds a threshold). Adjusting the injection strategy in the aftertreatment system may include causing the injection module (injector) of the aftertreatment system to adjust injection values (e.g., injection quantity, injection timing, injection concentration, etc.). For example, in response to determining that the EONOx value is above a threshold and cylinder 110 is not mechanically abnormal or potentially mechanically abnormal, the injection quantity may be increased.

[0065] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust a variable geometry turbocharger for one or more cylinder events. For example, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust one or more vanes of the turbine of the turbocharger. The vanes may be adjusted for each cylinder firing event. In some embodiments, adjusting the VGT may achieve more restriction on the air flow, thereby reducing the air flow. In other embodiments, adjusting the VGT may achieve less restriction on the air flow, thereby increasing the air flow.

[0066] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may cause the engine 101 to operate in cylinder deactivation (CDA), particularly dynamic skip fire (DSF) mode, by selectively deactivating one or more cylinders 110. In some embodiments, deactivating one or more cylinders 110 may include deactivating the fuel injectors, closing the intake valves, and / or closing the exhaust valves corresponding to one or more cylinders 110. The engine control circuit 212 may deactivate one or more cylinders 110 that are abnormal or potentially abnormal. One or more deactivated cylinders 110 may remain deactivated until the engine control circuit 212 reactivates one or more deactivated cylinders 110. Cylinder reactivation is described in more detail herein.

[0067] In some embodiments, in response to detecting a recurrent problem in one or more cylinders 110, one or more cylinders 110 are deactivated. The engine control circuit 212 may determine that one or more cylinders 110 have a "recurrent problem" based on analyzing cylinder data and determining that one or more cylinders 110 are abnormal or potentially abnormal (i.e., compared to the immediate cylinder data indicating potential damage) within at least a predetermined period (e.g., a predetermined time period, a predetermined number of engine cycles, a predetermined number of cylinder ignition events, etc.). For example, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that a cylinder 110 is potentially abnormal based on determining that the cylinder data of the cylinder 110 exceeds one or more thresholds within a predetermined period to designate the problem as a recurrent problem (e.g., the cylinder temperature has been higher than the relevant cylinder temperature of the engine for a period exceeding a predetermined time or number of cycles and exceeding a predetermined amount). The engine control circuit 212 may monitor the potentially abnormal cylinders 110 within a predetermined period. The engine control circuit 212 may determine that a cylinder is abnormal based on determining that the cylinder data of the cylinder 110 exceeds one or more thresholds (or otherwise does not meet the desired operating range of the parameter) within a predetermined period.

[0068] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may cause the engine 101 to operate in the DSF mode. In the DSF mode, one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110 may be temporarily deactivated and reactivated during the DSF mode. For example, one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110 may be deactivated within a predetermined period (e.g., a predetermined time period, a predetermined number of engine cycles, a predetermined number of cylinder ignition events, etc.) and activated after the predetermined period. In some embodiments, the DSF mode may include selectively activating and deactivating one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110 in a predetermined pattern. For example, one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110 may be deactivated in a first number of cycles and activated in a second number of cycles.

[0069] In CDA mode and / or DSF mode, the engine control circuit 212 can control the active cylinders 110 to meet the operating objectives (e.g., torque demand) of the engine 101 and / or the overall system. For example, one or more operating objectives can include emission values (e.g., SNOx value, deNOx value, etc.), mechanical load (e.g., torque value or target, vibration value, etc.), and / or fuel economy (e.g., fuel consumption per distance (gallons / mile), distance traveled per unit of fuel (miles / gallon), etc.). These objectives can be received from a remote source (e.g., an external computing system) and / or by operating an I / O device. In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 can adjust one or more parameters of the DSF mode to meet the operating objectives of the system 100. For example, the engine control circuit 212 can adjust the "firing ratio" of the engine 101. As used herein and in one embodiment, the phrase "firing ratio" with respect to the cylinders 110 of the engine 101 and the CDA / DSF operating mode refers to the fraction of the total number of available cylinders 110 that are active cylinders 110. For example, in this embodiment, a firing ratio of 4 / 6 means that four out of a total of six cylinders are active. In another embodiment, the "firing ratio" refers to the number of cylinder firings divided by the number of firing opportunities (e.g., the number of engine cycles multiplied by the number of cylinders in the engine). For example, if a 6-cylinder engine fires 9 times in 3 engine cycles, the firing ratio is 9 / 18 or 1 / 2. Firing ratio adjustment allows the number of cylinders 110 that are (on average) fired to be modified as a fraction rather than an integer. For example, the firing ratio can change from 1 / 3 to 2 / 5, which is equivalent to increasing from 2 cylinders to 2.4 cylinders in a 6-cylinder engine. Thus, the controller 140 can use a look-up table that includes the DSF firing mode. The controller 140 can select the DSF firing mode corresponding to the deactivation of the identified problem cylinder 110 while enabling the system 100 to achieve the operating objectives (e.g., desired power output, fuel economy, exhaust gas temperature for emission purposes, etc.). For example, the look-up table can include a non-modified DSF firing mode that defines a non-modified DSF firing ratio (e.g., one-half) and a modified DSF firing mode that defines a modified DSF firing ratio (e.g., 3 / 7) such that the problem cylinder 110 is always deactivated and the engine 101 can achieve or attempt to achieve the operating objectives of the system 100. In some embodiments, the firing ratio enables the non-abnormal cylinders 110 to continue operating at a frequency higher than a predetermined frequency so that the non-abnormal cylinders 110 are not damaged due to the formation of a vacuum within the cylinders 110.

[0070] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust one or more operating parameters of the cylinders 110 such that the engine 101 can operate at a target engine output without deactivating one or more of the cylinders 110. For example, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust one or more of the cylinder fuel supply parameters (e.g., air-fuel ratio, fuel quantity, injection timing, etc.), engine speed, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) value, and / or other parameters such that the engine 101 can operate at a target engine output (which may be based on an operating goal). In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may be configured to adjust the operating parameters of one or more active cylinders 110. For example, the engine control circuit 212 may increase the fuel supply in only one or more of the active cylinders 110 to compensate for one or more deactivated cylinders 110. The engine control circuit 212 may adjust the combustion ignition density and / or ignition pattern to allow the operator torque request to be met without deactivating the cylinders 110. In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust the EGR value based on the DSF ignition mode to maintain a minimum EGR availability to meet the operating goal.

[0071] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may cause the motor-generator to provide a supplementary torque pulse. The torque pulse may be provided at or near the time when the deactivated cylinder 110 would have fired such that the total torque output of the engine 101 and the motor-generator is not reduced (or is reduced by an amount imperceptible to the operator) due to the deactivated cylinder 110.

[0072] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may adjust the variable valve timing (VVT) of the engine 101 (when the engine is equipped with a VVT system). For example, the engine control circuit 212 may fully close the valves. In another example, the engine control circuit 212 may advance or retard the VVT to compensate for one or more identified problems with the abnormal cylinder 110. The engine control circuit 212 may determine whether to advance or retard the VVT based on a determined fault or predicted fault of the abnormal cylinder 110.

[0073] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may reactivate one or more deactivated cylinders 110 based on a received, detected, or determined reactivation condition being met (e.g., by operating the engine 101 in a normal or non - enhanced operating mode, such as by turning off the CDA / DSF mode, etc.). The reactivation condition may be receiving an indication of a service event, which may indicate that the problem with the abnormal cylinder has been resolved. The reactivation condition may be an indication that a fault code or other indicator associated with the abnormal cylinder has been cleared (e.g., by an authorized service technician). Thus, the reactivation condition may include determining that the damage to one or more deactivated cylinders 110 has been resolved according to various examples described below and herein.

[0074] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may reactivate one or more deactivated cylinders 110 in response to an override condition (i.e., disabling the CDA operating mode). When an override condition exists, the controller 140 may disable the enhanced operating mode to meet one or more operating objectives. An override condition is a condition recognized by the controller 140 under which the controller 140 determines that the CDA mode should be suspended (e.g., indefinitely or temporarily). Examples of override conditions are described below.

[0075] In some embodiments, the reactivation (based on the override condition) is temporary (e.g., for a predetermined time, a predetermined number of cycles, or until the override condition ceases / is no longer met). In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may change the enhanced engine operating mode in response to an override condition. For example, the engine control circuit 212 may change the enhanced engine operating mode from the CDA mode to the DSF mode. The engine control circuit 212 may check periodically or in real - time (e.g., continuously, every second, every millisecond, etc.) whether the override condition is met. The override condition may include high engine load (e.g., engine load equal to or higher than a predetermined high - engine - load threshold), tasks of the system 100, and / or other conditions where the engine 101 requires all cylinders 110 to be active to achieve a target torque or power output.

[0076] As briefly described above, override conditions can be based on the tasks of system 100. A "task" of system 100 refers to an activity performed by system 100. The task and / or one or more characteristics of the task can define the operating objectives of system 100. For example, the operating objectives defined by one or more tasks can include driving a vehicle to a destination, fuel economy of the vehicle route, emission objectives of the vehicle route, etc. Controller 140 can identify one or more predefined characteristics of the task as being associated with a "critical task", "critical situation", or "adverse situation", where the task or situation involves a risk of system 100 damage, a risk of personal injury, and / or a risk of property damage. Examples of predefined characteristics of a task or situation can include system 100 being in imminent danger (e.g., located on a train track), an emergency situation (e.g., if system 100 is embodied in a fire truck, ambulance, military vehicle, etc.), and / or a work task (e.g., if system 100 is embodied in a cement mixer truck, a vehicle traveling on a highway, a vehicle traveling uphill or downhill, a vehicle with a high load, etc.). For example, if the task characteristics of system 100 are associated with a predefined critical task, the engine control circuit 212 can override the improved engine operating mode. In these embodiments, completing the task may be more important than any damage that the abnormal cylinder 110 may cause to the engine 101 (or system), or more important than any increased exhaust emissions caused by the abnormal cylinder 110 (e.g., transporting the vehicle to a specific destination is more important than the damage that one or more abnormal cylinders may cause to the engine).

[0077] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may determine the severity of damage to one or more cylinders 110. The severity may be determined by comparing cylinder data to one or more thresholds (e.g., a low severity threshold, a medium severity threshold, a high severity threshold, etc.). When using fault codes / indicators to identify abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders, the engine control circuit 212 may use a predefined list of fault codes corresponding to low, medium, and high severity levels / values. In this way, the controller can diagnose each cylinder using cylinder-specific fault codes, MILs, or other indicators (e.g., based on cylinder pressure sensor readings for each cylinder). For example, injection timing problems and / or fuel injection quantity problems (e.g., fuel injection quantity above a maximum threshold or below a minimum threshold) may correspond to low severity. In some embodiments, if one or more cylinder data values exceed a predetermined number of corresponding thresholds, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that the abnormal cylinder has a high severity. If the number of one or more cylinder data values exceeding the corresponding thresholds is less than the predetermined number, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that the abnormal cylinder has a medium or low severity. For example, if the cylinder NOx value is more than a predetermined amount (e.g., 10%) above the threshold, the high cylinder NOx value may correspond to high severity. In another example, structural problems with the cylinder 110, such as piston ring failures, holes in the cylinder, etc., may correspond to high severity. In some embodiments, for low or medium severity faults, the engine control circuit 212 may first adjust one or more operating parameters of the abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinder 110. If the fault is not resolved by adjusting one or more operating parameters, the engine control circuit 212 may operate the engine 101 in the CDA or DSF mode to deactivate the potentially abnormal cylinder. In some embodiments, if the severity is below a threshold (e.g., a low severity fault), the engine control circuit 212 may not activate the CDA or DSF mode. In some embodiments, if the likelihood of a sensor 125 failure is greater than the likelihood of a cylinder abnormality, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that the severity is low. For example, if the fault condition may be related to a camshaft position sensor failure, the engine control circuit 212 may determine that the severity is low and no action is required.

[0078] In some embodiments, one or more thresholds for determining an improved engine operating mode may correspond to a specific location (e.g., country, state, region, city, etc.). The controller 140 may be configured to determine the location of the system 100 (e.g., based on a location positioning system, such as GPS). In these embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may selectively activate, deactivate, or adjust the improved engine operating mode based on the location of the system 100. More specifically, if the location of the system 100 is within a specific geofence area, the engine control circuit 212 may enable a different improved engine operating mode compared to when the location of the system 100 is outside the specific geofence area. For example, the geofence area may correspond to an area with relatively high deNOx requirements. Accordingly, the corresponding deNOx threshold may vary based on the location of the system 100. When the system enters or leaves the geofence area, the engine control circuit 212 may compare the cylinder data with the threshold corresponding to that location and determine whether the improved engine operating mode should be adjusted.

[0079] In some embodiments, the controller 140 may be configured to determine whether the engine 101 (or its components) and / or the controller 140 (e.g., the processing circuit including hardware and / or software) has experienced a tampering event. For example, if the engine control circuit 212 determines that the number of abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller 140 may generate a notification indicating that the engine 101 may have experienced a potential tampering event because it is unlikely to have so many cylinders abnormal simultaneously. As another example, if the operating parameters exceed a predetermined threshold (e.g., torque, power output, speed, temperature, etc. exceed a predetermined acceptable maximum calibration threshold), the controller 140 may determine a potential tampering event because operating outside the calibration parameters is not allowed without possible tampering. In such cases, the controller 140 may instruct the improved operating mode of the engine to mitigate the tampering (e.g., initiate CDA).

[0080] In some embodiments, the engine control circuit 212 may generate a notification indicating that one or more cylinders 110 are abnormal or potentially abnormal. In some embodiments, the notification may also include an indication of one or more corrective actions taken for the abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110 (e.g., an indication to initiate CDA or other measures). The engine control circuit 212 may provide the notification to the operator I / O device 130 (e.g., a fault code, a malfunction indicator light) and / or one or more external computing systems 190 (e.g., via the communication interface 216).

[0081] One or more external computing systems 190 may include computing devices (e.g., user devices, cloud computing systems, etc.) located external to system 100. One or more external computing systems 190 may be associated with the owner or operator of system 100, the manager of a vehicle / powertrain fleet, a repair shop, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of engine 101, and / or a third party unrelated to system 100 (e.g., a government agency, etc.).

[0082] Figure 3 is for monitoring and controlling according to an example embodiment Figure 1 A flowchart of method 300 for one or more cylinders 110 or engine 110 or other components of A-1B. In some embodiments, controller 140 and / or one or more of its components (e.g., engine control circuit 212) are configured to execute method 300. For example, controller 140 may be configured to execute method 300 alone or in combination with other devices such as sensors 125 and / or other components of system 100. In some embodiments, the processes of method 300 may be executed in a different order than Figure 3 shown. In some embodiments, method 300 may include more or fewer processes than Figure 3 shown. For example, process 304 may be optional. In some embodiments, the processes of method 300 may be executed simultaneously, partially simultaneously, or sequentially.

[0083] Referring more specifically to method 300, at process 302, controller 140 receives cylinder data. As described above, the cylinder data may include one or more operating parameters of cylinder 110 and / or sensor data from one or more sensors 125. The cylinder data may indicate a cylinder problem (e.g., an abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinder). At process 304, controller 140 may receive additional cylinder data indicating that the cylinder problem is a recurring problem. Controller 140 may also receive an operating target (e.g., fuel economy).

[0084] At process 306, controller 140 activates the CDA (e.g., DSF) mode. At process 308, controller 140 deactivates one or more abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinders 110 that are part of the CDA mode. As described above, the deactivation may be indefinite (e.g., until a reactivation condition is met) or temporary.

[0085] At process 310, controller 140 generates and provides a notification of the failed cylinder 110 (or other component, e.g., an intake valve actuator, to achieve proper / desired airflow to the engine). The notification may include a fault code, a notification provided to operator I / O device 130, and / or a notification provided to external computing system 190.

[0086] In process 312, the controller 140 determines whether one or more operating objectives of the engine 101 can be met with the CDA mode activated. For example, the controller 140 may compare the maximum engine output value of the improved engine operating mode (determined based on the number of deactivated cylinders 110) with the operating objectives of the engine 101, including the requested or target engine output (e.g., torque, power, etc.) and / or the grade / tilt of the vehicle travel road, the gross vehicle weight, or the vehicle load, etc. If the engine 101 cannot or may not be able to meet the operating objectives (e.g., if the target value of the operating objective is greater than the maximum engine output value possible in the CDA mode), then method 300 proceeds to process 316. If the improved engine operating mode meets or may meet the operating objectives, then method 300 proceeds to process 314. In some embodiments, if an override condition is met, then method 300 proceeds to process 316. The override condition is described herein with respect to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the controller 140 may determine whether one or more operating objectives of the engine 101 can be met with the CDA mode activated based on the severity of the fault. If the controller 140 determines that the severity of the abnormal cylinder 110 is low or medium (classified as low, medium, or high based on a predefined fault list), then the controller 140 may not deactivate the abnormal cylinder 110, but instead change one or more cylinder operating parameters (e.g., fuel injection quantity, fuel injection timing, etc.). If the controller 140 determines that the severity of the abnormal cylinder 110 is high, then the controller 140 may deactivate the abnormal cylinder 110.

[0087] In process 314, the controller 140 continues to operate the engine 101 in the CDA mode. In some embodiments, the controller 140 may be configured to operate the engine 101 in the CDA mode for a predetermined period (e.g., a predetermined time period, a predetermined travel distance, a predetermined number of engine cycles, etc.). After the predetermined period, method 300 may proceed to process 316. In other embodiments, the CDA mode is not restricted, and the controller 140 may continue to operate the engine 101 in the CDA mode.

[0088] In process 316, the controller 140 restricts the operation of the engine 101. For example, the controller 140 may restrict the torque or power output of the engine 101.

[0089] In process 318, the controller 140 receives an indication that a service event has occurred. As described above, the service event may trigger a reactivation condition such that the controller 140 disables the CDA / DSF mode and activates all cylinders 110 of the engine 101.

[0090] Figure 4 is monitoring and control according to an example embodiment Figure 1Flowchart of method 400 for the engine system of A-1B. In some embodiments, controller 140 and / or one or more of its components (such as engine control circuit 212) are configured to execute method 400. For example, controller 140 can be configured to execute method 400 alone, or in combination with other devices such as sensors 125 and / or other components of system 100. In some embodiments, method 400 may include more or fewer processes than Figure 4 shown. In some embodiments, the processes of method 400 can be executed in a different order than Figure 4 shown. In some embodiments, the processes of method 400 can be executed simultaneously, partially simultaneously, or sequentially. In some embodiments, method 400 can start after process 302 of method 300 and return to process 304 and / or 306 of method 300.

[0091] Referring to method 400 in more detail, at process 402, controller 140 can determine whether the severity of the cylinder problem exceeds a severity threshold. As described above, the severity threshold can be a medium severity. If the severity does exceed the severity threshold, then method 400 can continue to process 306 (or process 304) of method 300. If the severity does not exceed the severity threshold, then method 400 can continue to process 404.

[0092] At process 404, controller 140 can enable one or more corrective measures to correct or attempt to correct the cylinder fault. As described above, controller 140 can adjust one or more operating parameters of the abnormal or potentially abnormal cylinder 110.

[0093] At process 406, controller 140 can determine whether the cylinder problem has been resolved after taking corrective measures (such as implementing CDA to deactivate the abnormal cylinder, controlling the operating parameters of the engine (such as fuel injection value), etc.). If the cylinder problem has not been resolved (e.g., the malfunction indicator light goes out, the engine operating parameters become within the desired range (e.g., below the high temperature threshold), etc.), then method 400 can continue to process 306 (or process 304) of method 300. If the cylinder problem has been resolved, then method 400 can continue to process 408. At process 408, controller 140 generates and provides a notification that the cylinder problem has been identified and corrected. The notification can include a fault code, a notification provided to operator I / O device 130, and / or a notification provided to external computing system 190.

[0094] Figure 5 is for monitoring and controlling according to an example embodiment Figure 1Flowchart of method 500 for an engine system of A-1B. In some embodiments, controller 140 and / or one or more of its components (such as engine control circuit 212) are configured to execute method 500. For example, controller 140 can be configured to execute method 500 alone, or in combination with other devices such as sensors 125 and / or other components of system 100. In some embodiments, the processes of method 500 can be executed in a different order than Figure 5 shown. In some embodiments, method 500 can include more or fewer processes than Figure 5 shown. In some embodiments, the processes of method 500 can be executed simultaneously, partially simultaneously, or sequentially. In some embodiments, method 500 can be executed simultaneously or partially simultaneously with method 300. For example, at least process 502 of method 500 is the same as process 306 of method 300.

[0095] Referring to method 500 in more detail, in process 502, controller 140 activates the CDA / DSF mode. In process 504, controller 140 receives updated operating targets. The updated operating targets can include changes in torque or power demand, changes in position (e.g., entering or leaving a geofence location), critical mission or situation indications, and / or any other targets described herein.

[0096] In process 506, controller 140 determines whether engine 101 can or may be able to meet one or more operating targets in an improved engine operating mode (e.g., CDA mode). If controller 140 determines that engine 101 can or may be able to meet the updated targets, method 500 proceeds to process 508. If controller 140 determines that engine 101 cannot meet the updated targets, method 500 proceeds to process 510.

[0097] In process 508, controller 140 can continue to operate engine 101 in the CDS / DSF mode. In this way, controller 140 advantageously enables system 100 to complete tasks and / or achieve the operating targets of system 100 without exacerbating cylinder problems (e.g., by deactivating problem cylinders). In process 510, controller 140 can determine that an override condition has been met and override the CDA / DSF mode. When controller 140 overrides the CDA / DSF mode, the CDA / DSF mode can be deactivated, and all cylinders 110 can be activated.

[0098] As used herein, the terms "about," "approximately," "substantially," and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning consistent with their ordinary and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, upon reading this disclosure, that these terms are intended to allow for the description of certain features being described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted to mean that non-substantive or immaterial modifications or variations to the subject matter being described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure, as set forth in the appended claims.

[0099] It should be noted that the term "exemplary" and its variants, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to imply that such embodiments are necessarily exceptional or optimal examples).

[0100] As used herein, the term "coupled" and its variants refer to two components being directly or indirectly connected to each other. Such connection can be fixed (e.g., permanent or stationary) or movable (e.g., detachable or releasable). Such connection can be achieved by directly coupling the two components to each other, by using one or more separate intermediate components to couple the two components to each other, or by using an intermediate component that is integrally formed with one of the two components as a single unitary body to couple the two components to each other. If "coupled" or its variants are modified by additional terms (e.g., directly coupled), then the general definition of "coupled" above is modified by the ordinary language meaning of the additional term (e.g., "directly coupled" means that two components are connected without any separate intermediate component), resulting in a narrower definition than the general definition of "coupled" above. Such coupling can be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic. For example, circuit A being communicatively "coupled" to circuit B can mean that circuit A communicates directly with circuit B (i.e., without an intermediary) or indirectly with circuit B (e.g., through one or more intermediaries).

[0101] References herein to element positions (e.g., "top," "bottom," "above," "below") are for the purpose of describing the orientation of various elements in the drawings only. It should be noted that, according to other exemplary embodiments, the orientation of various elements can be different, and such variations are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0102] Although Figure 2 while various circuits having specific functions are shown, it should be understood that the controller 140 can include any number of circuits for performing the functions described herein. For example, the activities and functions of the post-processing control circuit can be combined in multiple circuits or as a single circuit. Additional circuits having additional functions can also be included. Furthermore, the controller 140 can also control other activities that are outside the scope of this disclosure.

[0103] As described above and in one configuration, the "circuit" can be implemented in a machine-readable medium for execution by various types of processors (such as Figure 2 processor 204). For example, the executable code can include one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions, which can be organized, for example, as objects, procedures, or functions. However, the executable files do not have to be physically located together, but can include different instructions stored in different locations, which, when logically connected together, constitute the circuit and achieve the intended purpose of the circuit. In fact, the circuit of the computer-readable program code can be a single instruction or many instructions, and can even be distributed in several different code segments, different programs, and several different storage devices.

[0104] Although the term "processor" was briefly defined above, the terms "processor" and "processing circuit" are intended to be interpreted broadly. In some embodiments, one or more processors can be located outside the device (e.g., a vehicle-mounted vehicle controller), for example, one or more processors can be or be included in a remote processor (e.g., a cloud-based processor). In this regard, a given circuit or its components can be arranged locally (e.g., as part of a local server, a local computing system, etc.) or remotely (e.g., as part of a remote server (e.g., a cloud-based server)). To this end, the "circuit" as described herein can include components distributed at one or more locations.

[0105] Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products that include a computer or machine-readable medium for carrying or storing computer or machine-executable instructions or data structures. Such a machine-readable medium can be any available medium accessible by a computer. The computer-readable medium can be a tangible computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-readable program code. The computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic, micro-mechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of the computer-readable medium can include, but are not limited to, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a holographic storage medium, a micro-mechanical storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, the computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium that can contain and / or store computer-readable program code for use by and / or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data that cause a computer or processing machine to perform a particular function or a set of functions.

[0106] A computer-readable medium can also be a computer-readable signal medium. A computer-readable signal medium can include a propagated data signal in which computer-readable program code is embodied, for example, in a baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal can take any of a variety of forms, including but not limited to electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium can be any non-computer-readable storage medium that is capable of communicating, propagating, or transporting computer-readable program code for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-readable program code embodied on the computer-readable signal medium can be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, fiber optic cable, radio frequency (RF), or the like, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0107] In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium can include a combination of one or more computer-readable storage media and one or more computer-readable signal media. For example, computer-readable program code can be propagated as an electromagnetic signal via a fiber optic cable for execution by a processor, or can be stored on a RAM storage device for execution by a processor.

[0108] The computer-readable program code for performing operations in aspects of the present disclosure can be written in any combination of one or more other programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program code can be executed entirely on a local computer, partially on a local computer, executed as a stand-alone computer-readable program package, partially on a local computer and partially on a remote computer, and so on. In the latter case, the remote computer can be connected to the local computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0109] The program code can also be stored in a computer-readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to operate in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions that implement the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of the illustrative flowchart and / or illustrative block diagram.

[0110] Although the figures and description may show a particular order of method steps, unless otherwise specified above, the order of such steps may be different from the order shown and described. Additionally, unless otherwise specified above, two or more steps may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously. Such variations may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems selected and the choices of the designer. All such variations are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0111] It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the devices and systems shown in the various exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be combined with or utilized in any other embodiment disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A device, characterized in that, Comprising: A controller, the controller including at least one processing circuit, the at least one processing circuit including at least one memory coupled to at least one processor, the controller being configured to: Based on data regarding the operation of the engine, determine that one or more of the plurality of cylinders of the engine are abnormal; And Cause the engine to operate in an improved engine operation mode, thereby modifying the operation of the one or more abnormal cylinders.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to generate a notification indicating the one or more abnormal cylinders.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The notification is provided to an external computing system relative to the controller.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The improved engine operation mode includes a cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode, wherein during the CDA mode, the one or more abnormal cylinders are deactivated.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The CDA mode includes a dynamic skip fire (DSF) mode.

6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The CDA mode is enabled until a reactivation condition is received, the reactivation condition including receiving a notification regarding a service event and / or an override condition.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The override condition includes at least one of an engine load being equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold or a task characteristic indicating the engine task.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to: Based on data regarding the operation of the engine, determine that at least one of the plurality of cylinders of the engine may be abnormal; Deactivate the at least one cylinder in response to determining that the severity of the at least one cylinder exceeds a predetermined severity threshold; And Maintain the activation of the at least one cylinder in response to determining that the severity of the at least one cylinder is lower than the predetermined severity threshold.

9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The improved engine operation mode includes adjusting at least one of an intake valve or an exhaust valve of the one or more abnormal cylinders, wherein adjusting the at least one of the intake valve or the exhaust valve includes at least one of the following: Closing or substantially closing the intake valve; Closing or substantially closing the exhaust valve; or Adjusting a valve parameter, the valve parameter including at least one of valve timing or valve lift amount of at least one of the intake valve or the exhaust valve.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The improved engine operation mode includes adjusting a fuel supply parameter, the fuel supply parameter including at least one of fuel injection quantity or fuel injection timing.

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The improved engine operation mode includes, in response to determining that the one or more abnormal cylinders are abnormal not due to mechanical problems, adjusting an injection strategy of an injection module of a post-treatment system, the post-treatment system being in exhaust gas receiving communication with the engine, and the injection strategy including at least one of injection quantity or injection concentration.

12. A system, characterized in that, Comprising: An engine; And A controller coupled to the engine, the controller including: At least one processor; and At least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to: Based on data regarding the operation of the engine, determine that one or more of the plurality of cylinders of the engine are abnormal; and Operate the engine in an improved engine operating mode, thereby modifying the operation of the one or more abnormal cylinders.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein, When executed by the at least one processor, the instructions further cause the controller to: Generate a notification indicating an abnormality of the one or more cylinders; and Provide the notification to an external computing system relative to the engine.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein The improved engine operating mode includes cylinder deactivation (CDA), wherein during the CDA mode, the one or more abnormal cylinders are deactivated.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein The CDA mode is enabled until a reactivation condition is received.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein The reactivation condition includes receiving a notification of a service event.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein The reactivation condition includes receiving an indication that the engine load is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold.

18. A method, characterized in that, Comprising: Determine an abnormality of one or more cylinders of the engine based on data regarding the operation of the engine; Receive an operating target; Operate the engine in an improved engine operating mode, thereby modifying the operation of the one or more abnormal cylinders based on the received operating target.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, Further comprising: Generate a notification indicating the one or more abnormal cylinders and the improved engine operating mode; And Provide the notification to an external computing system relative to the engine.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein The improved engine operating mode includes a cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode, wherein during the CDA mode, the one or more abnormal cylinders are deactivated; wherein the CDA mode is enabled until a reactivation condition is received, the reactivation condition including at least one of a service event or an override condition, and wherein the override condition includes an engine load equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold.

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