Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – With indicator or control of power plant
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-02
2004-04-06
Wolfe, Willis R. (Department: 3747)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
With indicator or control of power plant
C701S115000, C123S406650, C123S339230
Reexamination Certificate
active
06718250
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a method as defined in the preamble of claim
1
and an apparatus as defined in the preamble of claim
11
, i.e. a method and an apparatus for providing control parameters to or within a control system.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Control systems generally comprise a control unit typically but not necessarily comprising a central processing unit (CPU), at least one controlled element and utilization means which transform CPU signals if and as necessary and apply them to the controlled element. For this purpose, the CPU and the utilization means need to be connected to each other by communication means such as a bus system. Moreover, external data may need to be communicated to the CPU and/or the utilization means on a corresponding way.
As an example, piezoelectric elements may be used as actuators in fuel injection nozzles (in particular in so-called common rail injectors) of an internal combustion engine. In this example, fuel injection is controlled by means of applying voltages to piezoelectric actuators which expand or contract themselves as a function of the voltage applied. Resulting thereof, an injector needle which is connected to the piezoelectric actuators by means of a transfer system is moved up and down and therefore an injection nozzle is opened and closed. However, the movement of the injector needle is principally influenced by changing rail pressures to which the transfer system and the needle are exposed. In order to nevertheless control the movement of the injector needle with high precision respectively to control the corresponding amount of injected fuel with high precision these influences have to be taken into account. Hence, the appearing rail pressures are measured by measuring means and the voltages which are applied to the piezoelectric actuators are modified in a corresponding way. As a result, a feedback system is implemented, in which rail pressures are measured by measuring means, the measured values are communicated to the control unit, corresponding voltages for the piezoelectric actuators are calculated within the control unit and are communicated from the control unit to an utilization unit, for example an activation IC, from which they are applied to the piezoelectric actuators. The use of piezoelectric elements as actuators proves to be advantageous, inter alia, in fuel injection nozzles for internal combustion engines. Reference is made, for example, to EP 0 371 469 B1 and to EP 0 379 182 B1 regarding the usability of piezoelectric elements in fuel injection nozzles.
Piezoelectric elements are capacitative elements which, as already partially alluded to above, contract and expand in accordance with the particular charge state or the voltage occurring therein or applied thereto. In the example of a fuel injection nozzle, expansion and contraction of piezoelectric elements is used to control valves that manipulate the linear strokes of injection needles. The use of piezoelectric elements with double acting, double seat valves to control corresponding injection needles in a fuel injection system is shown in German Patent Applications DE 197 42 073 A1 and DE 197 29 844 A1, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Fuel injection systems using piezoelectric actuators are characterized by the fact that, to a first approximation, piezoelectric actuators exhibit a proportional relationship between applied voltage and the linear expansion. In a fuel injection nozzle, for example, implemented as a double acting, double seat valve to control the linear stroke of a needle for fuel injection into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the amount of fuel injected into a corresponding cylinder is a function of the time the valve is open, and in the case of the use of a piezoelectric element, the activation voltage applied to the piezoelectric element.
FIG. 6
is a schematic representation of a fuel injection system using a piezoelectric element
2010
as an actuator. Referring to
FIG. 6
, the piezoelectric element
2010
is electrically energized to expand and contract in response to a given activation voltage. The piezoelectric element
2010
is coupled to a piston
2015
. In the expanded state, the piezoelectric element
2010
causes the piston
2015
to protrude into a hydraulic adapter
2020
which contains a hydraulic fluid, for example fuel. As a result of the piezoelectric element's expansion, a double acting control valve
2025
is hydraulically pushed away from hydraulic adapter
2020
and the valve plug
2035
is extended away from a first closed position
2040
. The combination of double acting control valve
2025
and hollow bore
2050
is often referred to as double acting, double seat valve for the reason that when piezoelectric element
2010
is in an unexcited state, the double acting control valve
2025
rests in its first closed position
2040
. On the other hand, when the piezoelectric element
2010
is fully extended, it rests in its second closed position
2030
. The later position of valve plug
2035
is schematically represented with ghost lines in FIG.
6
.
The fuel injection system comprises an injection needle
2070
allowing for injection of fuel from a pressurized fuel supply line
2060
into the cylinder (not shown). When the piezoelectric element
2010
is unexcited or when it is fully extended, the double acting control valve
2025
rests respectively in its first closed position
2040
or in its second closed position
2030
. In either case, the hydraulic rail pressure maintains injection needle
2070
at a closed position. Thus, the fuel mixture does not enter into the cylinder (not shown). Conversely, when the piezoelectric element
2010
is excited such that double acting control valve
2025
is in the so-called mid-position with respect to the hollow bore
2050
, then there is a pressure drop in the pressurized fuel supply line
2060
. This pressure drop results in a pressure differential in the pressurized fuel supply line
2060
between the top and the bottom of the injection needle
2070
so that the injection needle
2070
is lifted allowing for fuel injection into the cylinder (not shown).
In the example considered, as well as in other control systems, there is a need for a fast communication between the individual components of the control system, particularly between the control unit and the utilization unit, in order to perform a feedback which is as close to realtime as possible. However, there is a delay in accordance with the transmission speed of the communication means as well as with the amount of data which is to be transmitted. Even in control systems which do not require a realtime performance relevant delays may occur for the same reasons. Moreover, for several reasons, such as cost cutting or due to limitations by properties of standard components which are used within a control system, it is often required to use relatively slow communication means instead of the fastest available. Hence, while providing control parameters to or within a control system delays have to be taken into account as according to the state of the art.
It is an object of the present invention, to provide an improved method and apparatus for providing control parameters to or within a control system.
SUMMARY
This object of the present invention is achieved by the object of method claim
1
, i.e. a method for providing control parameters to or within a control system, in which a plurality of control parameters is transmitted to storage means within the control system by transmission means. The transmitted control parameters are stored within the storage means. Selection parameters are transmitted to selection means within the control system by transmission means. Stored control parameters are selected in accordance with transmitted selection parameters by the selection means. Then, the selected parameters are utilized for controlling the system. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is achieved by the object of apparatus claim
11
, i.
Newald Josef
Rueger Johannes-Jörg
Schulz Udo
Thomas Martin
Hoang Johnny H.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Wolfe Willis R.
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