Patent · US Expired

Failure determination apparatus and method and engine control unit for determining a failure of a temperature sensor

US6684154B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by
5References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 3, 2002
Grant dateJan 27, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 19, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T10/40
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

There is provided a failure determination apparatus which is capable of determining the failure of a temperature sensor promptly and correctly regardless of environmental conditions at the start of an internal combustion engine. An ECU calculates an operation progress parameter indicative of a degree of progress of operation of the internal combustion engine from the start thereof. A RAM of the ECU stores a value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor at a stoppage of the engine. Further, the ECU measures a stop time period from the stoppage to a start of the engine, and determines that the temperature sensor is faulty, when the difference between a value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor at the start of the present operation of the engine and the value of the temperature stored in the RAM is equal to or smaller than a predetermined reference value on condition that the operation progress parameter calculated during the immediately preceding operation of the engine is larger than a predetermined value, and that the stop time period before the present operation of the engine is longer than a predetermined time period.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.