Dual Path Boost Voltage Diagnostic Circuit for Fuel Injector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dual drive power supply architectures in modern vehicles, used for fuel injectors, face challenges in detecting partial failures of series inductors, leading to reduced energy delivery and impaired fuel injector operation during high engine speeds and dual fuel pulses.
Innovation Solution
A power supply diagnostic circuit with a dual path circuit comprising two inductors, MOSFETs, and diodes, where an injector control module monitors electrical current flow and voltage sag to determine path defects, using a current shunt to generate signals and modify fuel injector pulse width accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dual drive power supply architecture is used to provide power for fuel injectors, then the power supply can continue to operate during partial failures, but the power output capacity is reduced and fault detection becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by monitoring the voltage across the fuel injector during operation and comparing it against expected values. The control module receives feedback signals from the voltage monitoring circuit and adjusts the drive signal accordingly, enabling detection of partial failures in the dual drive architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary voltage monitoring circuit between the power supply and the fuel injector. This intermediary circuit measures the actual voltage delivered to the injector and provides this information to the control module, facilitating fault detection without directly monitoring the complex dual drive circuitry.
2Device complexity
If inductors are made relatively small and easier to package in the dual drive architecture, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect partial failures of series inductors becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the system to self-diagnose by having the control module monitor voltage parameters and automatically detect failures in the inductor circuitry. The system uses its own operational parameters (voltage, current, timing) to identify failures without requiring external diagnostic equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct physical inspection or complex electrical measurement of the inductor circuitry with a simpler voltage monitoring approach. Instead of directly measuring inductor characteristics or using complex current sensing, the system substitutes a straightforward voltage measurement across the injector that indirectly reveals inductor failures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively identifies and addresses defective paths in the dual path circuit, ensuring reliable fuel injector operation by modifying pulse width and adjusting voltage to maintain energy delivery during high engine speeds and dual fuel pulses.
Implementation Method 1
A current shunt that generates a signal based on the current flow
Implementation Method 2
a boost switching power supply that provides power for fuel injectors
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply diagnostic circuit includes a switching power supply that generates a voltage for powering a fuel injector. An injector control module selectively applies the voltage to the fuel injector and monitors a resultant electrical current flow through the fuel injector. The switching power supply includes a dual path circuit comprising two inductors, two MOSFETs, and two diodes. The injector control module determines whether one path of the dual path circuit is defective based on the electrical current flow.