초록 ▼

Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust syste

Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A method for operating an engine having at least a first and second group of cylinders, the method comprising: operating in a first mode with the first group of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel and the second group of cylinders inducting air and substantially no injec

I claim: 1. A method for operating an engine having at least a first and second group of cylinders, the method comprising: operating in a first mode with the first group of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel and the second group of cylinders inducting air and substantially no injected fuel; operating in a second mode with the second group of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel and the first group of cylinders inducting air and substantially no injected fuel; operating in a third mode with both the first and second groups of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel; monitoring cylinders in the first and second groups of cylinders for an engine misfire condition; and disabling said first mode if an engine misfire condition is detected in a cylinder of the first group and disabling said second mode if an engine misfire condition is detected in the second group. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring the first and second groups of cylinders for an engine misfire condition include monitoring whether ignition coils coupled to cylinders are degraded. 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising alternating operation between said first and second mode depending on operating conditions. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein a mode from said first, second, and third modes, is selected based on a requested engine output. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein a mode from said first, second, and third modes, is selected based on whether idle conditions are present. 6. A method for operating an engine having at least a first and second group of cylinders, the method comprising: operating in a first mode with the first group of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel and the second group of cylinders inducting air and substantially no injected fuel; operating in a second mode with the second group of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel and the first group of cylinders inducting air and substantially no injected fuel; operating in a third mode with both the first and second groups of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel; monitoring cylinders in the first and second groups of cylinders for an engine misfire condition; and disabling said first mode if an engine misfire condition is detected in a cylinder of the first group and enabling operation in at least second and third modes, and disabling said second mode if an engine misfire condition is detected in a cylinder of the second group and enabling operation in at least said first and third modes. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein monitoring the first and second groups of cylinders for an engine misfire condition include monitoring whether ignition coils coupled to cylinders are degraded. 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising alternating operation between said first and second mode depending on operating conditions. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein a mode from first, second, and third modes, is selected based on a requested engine output. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein a mode from first, second, and third modes, is further selected based on whether idle conditions are present. 11. A computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded therein for operating an engine having at least a first and second group of cylinders, the medium comprising: instructions for operating in a first mode with the first group of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel and the second group of cylinders inducting air and substantially no injected fuel; instructions for operating in a second mode with the second group of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel and the first group of cylinders inducting air and substantially no injected fuel; instructions for operating in a third mode with both the first and second groups of cylinders combusting inducted air and injected fuel; instructions for monitoring a cylinder in the first and second groups of cylinders for an engine misfire condition; and instructions for disabling said first mode if an engine misfire condition is detected in a cylinder of the first group and enabling operation in at least said second and third modes, and disabling said second mode if an engine misfire condition is detected in a cylinder of the second group and enabling operation in at least said first and third modes.