Electronic Valve Control Using Trained Models
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mechanical valve control systems in internal combustion engines are time-consuming and costly to adjust, limiting engine performance tuning.
Innovation Solution
Implementing trained models to electronically control valve operation in engines, using vehicle operation data from sensors to determine operating characteristics and generate control signals for optimized valve performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If mechanical valve control with camshaft is used, then valve operation is controlled by cam geometry, but adjustments are time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical camshaft-based valve control system with an electronic control system using actuators (such as piezoelectric or electromagnetic actuators) to directly control valve lift, timing, and duration. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical linkages and cam geometry changes, enabling rapid electronic adjustments without time-consuming mechanical modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic adjustment of valve operation parameters (lift, timing, duration) through electronic control signals that modify actuator behavior in real-time. This allows continuous parameter changes without physical reconfiguration, contrasting with fixed cam geometry that requires mechanical intervention for parameter changes.
2Ease of manufacture
If mechanical valve control system is used, then valve operation is controlled by cam geometry, but the system is complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical linkages, camshafts, and timing mechanisms with simpler electronic actuators and control circuits. This substitution reduces the number of mechanical components, simplifies the overall system architecture, and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining precise valve control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the camshaft and associated mechanical linkage components from the valve control system, retaining only the essential valve actuation function through electronic means. This extraction eliminates unnecessary mechanical complexity while preserving the core functionality of controlling valve operation.
3Power
If conventional engine design is used, then engine performance is limited, but reducing engine size and weight is beneficial
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic valve control that adapts valve operation parameters (lift, timing, duration) to real-time engine operating conditions and performance requirements. This dynamic optimization enables the engine to achieve maximum power output when needed while operating efficiently at lower power levels, effectively decoupling peak power capability from constant engine size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables real-time modification of valve operation parameters to optimize engine performance across different operating conditions. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the engine can achieve higher power density and better efficiency, allowing for reduced engine size and weight while maintaining required performance levels.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling an electronically controllable valve of an engine includes receiving, from one or more operation sensors, operation data including sensor data corresponding to a condition of the engine, control inputs indicative of operation of equipment that includes the engine, or a combination thereof. The method includes determining, using a trained valve control model, an operating characteristic of the valve at least partially based on the operation data, and generating a control signal to effect operation of the valve in accordance with the operating characteristic.