Patent ID: 7664588
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: F02D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the use of an aftermarket engine torque up-rating device in a vehicle having an engine with an inertia torque, a controller having accessible memory, and a hydrodynamic torque converter having a torque converter pump and a turbine, the method comprising: detecting a speed of the engine and a speed of the turbine; calculating a pump torque of the torque converter pump as a function of the speed of the engine and the speed of the turbine; measuring a rotational inertia and acceleration of the engine; calculating the inertia torque of the engine by multiplying the rotational inertia and the acceleration of the engine; calculating an actual engine torque by adding said pump torque of the torque converter pump and the inertia torque of the engine; reading a predetermined reported engine torque of the engine from the accessible memory; calculating a current value and a maximum value of a ratio of said actual engine torque to said reported engine torque based on a plurality of such ratio calculations; storing said current value and said maximum value of said ratio in the accessible memory of the controller upon the occurrence of one of wherein said plurality of predetermined throttle events is selected from the group consisting of: initiation of a high-throttle 1-2 shift, initiation of a high-throttle 2-3 shift, initiation of a high-throttle torque converter lockup, and a detected presence of a maximum Engine Rating Torque Function for each high-throttle torque converter drive cycle; and accessing the accessible memory to determine said current value and said maximum value of said ratio; wherein a variance of the actual engine torque from said reported engine torque as indicated by said current value and said maximum values of said ratio determines whether the engine torque up-rating device was used within the vehicle.