Office Action 1: Notice of Allowance (2025-07-10)

CLAIMS:
CLAIMS

\[Claim 1\] A control device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:an intake air flow rate acquisition unit that detects an intake air flow rate into an intake passage;
an atmospheric pressure acquisition unit that estimates or detects a pressure of atmosphere;
an atmospheric temperature acquisition unit that estimates or detects a temperature of atmosphere;
an intake passage internal average pressure estimation unit that estimates an intake passage internal average pressure in an intake passage having a region up to a throttle valve of the intake passage as one region;
an intake passage internal average temperature estimation unit that estimates an intake passage internal average temperature in a passage having a region up to a throttle valve of the intake passage as one region; and
a spatial distribution estimation unit that estimates distributions of pressure and temperature inside the intake passage based on an intake passage internal average pressure estimated by the intake passage internal average pressure estimation unit, an intake passage internal average temperature estimated by the intake passage internal average temperature estimation unit, and a model of energy change caused by a constituent element included in the intake passage.

\[Claim 2\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the spatial distribution estimation unit estimates a temperature and a pressure at an inlet or an outlet of the constituent element.

\[Claim 3\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the constituent element includes an airflow sensor, a compressor, an intercooler, and a throttle valve,
which are disposed in order from an upstream of an intake passage.

\[Claim 4\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein the spatial distribution estimation unit estimates a temperature and a pressure at an outlet of the compressor.

\[Claim 5\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein the spatial distribution estimation unit estimates a temperature at the outlet of the compressor, which is a temperature between the compressor and the intercooler, from the atmospheric temperature, the atmospheric pressure, and the estimated pressure at the outlet of the compressor.

\[Claim 6\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein based on a relationship that an intake mass of an entire intake passage calculated based on the intake 55 passage internal average pressure, the intake passage internal average temperature, and an entire volume of a predetermined intake passage is equal to a sum of intake masses of portions in an intake passage calculated based on a pressure between the constituent elements, an intake temperature between the constituent elements,
and an internal volume of a predetermined intake passage, the spatial distribution estimation unit estimates a compressor outlet pressure, which is a pressure between the compressor and the intercooler, from the internal volume of the predetermined intake passage between the constituent elements, the atmospheric pressure, and the intake passage internal average pressure.

\[Claim 7\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein the spatial distribution estimation unit estimates a temperature and a pressure at an outlet of the intercooler.

\[Claim 8\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein the spatial distribution estimation unit obtains a pressure loss by a constituent element from an outlet of the compressor to an outlet of the intercooler, and estimates an outlet pressure at the intercooler, which is a pressure between the intercooler and the throttle valve, based on the obtained pressure loss.

\[Claim 9\] The control device for an internal combustion engine 56 according to claim 3, wherein based on a relationship that enthalpy calculated based on the intake passage internal average pressure,
the intake passage internal average temperature, and an entire volume of the intake passage is equal to a sum of enthalpy calculated based on a pressure between the constituent elements, an intake temperature between the constituent elements, and a predetermined intake passage internal volume, the spatial distribution estimation unit estimates an intercooler outlet temperature, which is a temperature between the intercooler and the throttle valve, from the predetermined intake passage internal volume between the constituent elements, the estimated temperature at the compressor outlet, and the intake passage internal average temperature.

\[Claim 10\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein the spatial distribution estimation unit estimates a temperature and a pressure at an upstream of the throttle valve.

\[Claim 11\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein a throttle valve upstream pressure is estimated based on an outlet pressure at the intercooler having been estimated, and a throttle valve upstream temperature is estimated based on an intercooler outlet temperature having been estimated.

\[Claim 12\] The control device for an internal combustion engine 57 according to claim 3, comprising a throttle valve passing flow rate estimation unit that estimates or detects a pressure at a throttle valve downstream and, based on an estimated throttle valve upstream pressure, an estimated throttle valve upstream temperature, a throttle valve downstream pressure, and a throttle valve opening degree, estimates a throttle valve passing flow rate.

\[Claim 13\] The control device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 12, comprising:an in-cylinder inflow air flow rate estimation unit that estimates an in-cylinder inflow air flow rate based on the throttle valve passing flow rate estimated by the throttle valve passing flow rate estimation unit; and
a fuel injection quantity calculation unit that calculates a fuel injection quantity based on an in-cylinder inflow air flow rate estimated by the in-cylinder inflow air flow rate estimation unit.

\[Claim 14\] A control device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:an intake passage internal gas mass estimation unit that estimates a mass of a gas in an intake passage having a region up to a throttle valve of an intake passage as one region;
an intake passage internal gas energy estimation unit that estimates an energy of a gas in an intake passage having a region up to a throttle valve of an intake passage as one region; and 58 a spatial distribution estimation unit that estimates distributions of a pressure and a temperature based on an intake passage internal gas mass estimated by the intake passage internal gas mass estimation unit, and an intake passage internal gas energy estimated by the intake passage internal gas energy estimation unit,
and a model of energy change caused by a constituent element included in an intake passage.

\[Claim 15\] A control method for an internal combustion engine, comprising:intake air flow rate acquisition processing of detecting an intake air flow rate into an intake passage;
atmospheric pressure acquisition processing of estimating or detecting a pressure of atmosphere;
atmospheric temperature acquisition processing of estimating or detecting a temperature of atmosphere;
intake passage internal average pressure estimation processing of estimating an intake passage internal average pressure in an intake passage having a region up to a throttle valve of the intake passage as one region;
an intake passage internal average temperature estimation processing of estimating an intake passage internal average temperature in an intake passage having a region up to a throttle valve of the intake passage as one region; and
spatial distribution estimation processing of estimating distributions of pressure and temperature inside the intake passage 59 based on an intake passage internal average pressure estimated by the intake passage internal average pressure estimation processing,
an intake passage internal average temperature estimated by the intake passage internal average temperature estimation processing, and a model of energy change caused by a constituent element included in the intake passage.

OFFICE ACTION:
Notice of Pre-AIA  or AIA  Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) dated October 3, 2024 is noted.  The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.  Accordingly, the IDS is being considered by the Examiner.
Allowable Subject Matter
In accordance with MPEP § 2143.03, all claim limitations have been considered by Examiner and Claims 1-15 are found to be allowable over the prior art.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an Examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance.  The prior art does not teach or suggest a spatial distribution estimation unit that estimates distributions of pressure and temperature inside the intake passage based on an intake passage internal average pressure estimated by the intake passage internal average pressure estimation unit, an intake passage internal average temperature estimated by the intake passage internal average temperature estimation unit, and a model of energy change caused by a constituent element included in the intake passage, as provided in Claims 1, 14, and 15. In combination with the remaining limitations in the claim, the aforementioned limitations establish allowability over the prior art.
Concerning the closest related prior art, see Internation Search Report submitted by Applicant with the IDS dated October 3, 2024.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.  Specifically, various references are cited that provide detail of relevant engine control devices.



CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US20210095610A1: Claims:
An internal combustion engine comprising: a state determination device including a storage device and an execution device, wherein: the storage device is configured to store mapping data that is data defining a mapping that outputs a determination result of a state of the internal combustion engine by using, as an input, an internal combustion engine state variable that is a parameter indicating the state of the internal combustion engine; the execution device is configured to execute an acquisition process of acquiring the internal combustion engine state variable, and a determination process of determining the state of the internal combustion engine based on an output of the mapping using the internal combustion engine state variable as an input; the mapping data is data that has been learned by machine learning; the execution device is configured to, when the internal combustion engine state variable acquired in the acquisition process is out of a predetermined allowable range, execute a guard process of bringing the internal combustion engine state variable closer to the allowable range or making the internal combustion engine state variable be a value within the allowable range; and the execution device is configured to, when the guard process is executed, determine the state of the internal combustion engine based on the internal combustion engine state variable acquired after the guard process, in the subsequent determination process.
a state determination device including a storage device and an execution device, wherein:
the storage device is configured to store mapping data that is data defining a mapping that outputs a determination result of a state of the internal combustion engine by using, as an input, an internal combustion engine state variable that is a parameter indicating the state of the internal combustion engine;
the execution device is configured to execute an acquisition process of acquiring the internal combustion engine state variable, and a determination process of determining the state of the internal combustion engine based on an output of the mapping using the internal combustion engine state variable as an input;
the mapping data is data that has been learned by machine learning;
the execution device is configured to, when the internal combustion engine state variable acquired in the acquisition process is out of a predetermined allowable range, execute a guard process of bringing the internal combustion engine state variable closer to the allowable range or making the internal combustion engine state variable be a value within the allowable range; and
the execution device is configured to, when the guard process is executed, determine the state of the internal combustion engine based on the internal combustion engine state variable acquired after the guard process, in the subsequent determination process.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein the allowable range is set within a range of data input when the data is learned by the machine learning.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein: the execution device is configured to, when the internal combustion engine state variable acquired in the acquisition process is larger than the allowable range, execute a guard process of matching the internal combustion engine state variable to an upper limit value of the allowable range; and the execution device is configured to, when the internal combustion engine state variable acquired in the acquisition process is smaller than the allowable range, execute a guard process of matching the internal combustion engine state variable to a lower limit value of the allowable range.
the execution device is configured to, when the internal combustion engine state variable acquired in the acquisition process is larger than the allowable range, execute a guard process of matching the internal combustion engine state variable to an upper limit value of the allowable range; and
the execution device is configured to, when the internal combustion engine state variable acquired in the acquisition process is smaller than the allowable range, execute a guard process of matching the internal combustion engine state variable to a lower limit value of the allowable range.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein: the state of the internal combustion engine is an estimated value of a temperature of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine; the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst by using, as an input, at least one of an outside air temperature variable and an excess amount variable, a fluid energy variable, and a previous value of the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst, the outside air temperature variable being a variable related to a temperature of outside air around the internal combustion engine, the excess amount variable being a variable corresponding to an excess amount of an actual injection amount with respect to an amount of fuel needed for setting an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine to a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the fluid energy variable being a state variable related to an energy of a fluid flowing into the catalyst; and the execution device is configured to acquire the at least one variable, the fluid energy variable, and the previous value of the estimated value, in the acquisition process.
the state of the internal combustion engine is an estimated value of a temperature of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine;
the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst by using, as an input, at least one of an outside air temperature variable and an excess amount variable, a fluid energy variable, and a previous value of the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst, the outside air temperature variable being a variable related to a temperature of outside air around the internal combustion engine, the excess amount variable being a variable corresponding to an excess amount of an actual injection amount with respect to an amount of fuel needed for setting an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine to a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the fluid energy variable being a state variable related to an energy of a fluid flowing into the catalyst; and
the execution device is configured to acquire the at least one variable, the fluid energy variable, and the previous value of the estimated value, in the acquisition process.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein: the state of the internal combustion engine is a presence or absence of a misfire of the internal combustion engine; the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs a probability that the misfire has occurred in the internal combustion engine by using, as an input, time-series data that is an instantaneous speed parameter at each of a plurality of continuous second intervals included in a first interval; the execution device is configured to acquire the instantaneous speed parameter based on a detection value of a sensor that detects a rotation behavior of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine in the acquisition process; the instantaneous speed parameter is a parameter corresponding to a rotation speed of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine; the first interval is a rotation angle interval of the crankshaft and includes a compression top dead center; the second interval is smaller than an appearance interval of the compression top dead center; and the mapping outputs a probability that the misfire has occurred in at least one cylinder in which the compression top dead center appears within the first interval.
the state of the internal combustion engine is a presence or absence of a misfire of the internal combustion engine;
the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs a probability that the misfire has occurred in the internal combustion engine by using, as an input, time-series data that is an instantaneous speed parameter at each of a plurality of continuous second intervals included in a first interval;
the execution device is configured to acquire the instantaneous speed parameter based on a detection value of a sensor that detects a rotation behavior of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine in the acquisition process;
the instantaneous speed parameter is a parameter corresponding to a rotation speed of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine;
the first interval is a rotation angle interval of the crankshaft and includes a compression top dead center;
the second interval is smaller than an appearance interval of the compression top dead center; and
the mapping outputs a probability that the misfire has occurred in at least one cylinder in which the compression top dead center appears within the first interval.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein: the state of the internal combustion engine is a variation in air-fuel ratio between a plurality of cylinders included in the internal combustion engine; the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs an imbalance variable by using, as an input, a rotation waveform variable and an air-fuel ratio detection variable, the imbalance variable being a variable indicating a degree of variation between actual air-fuel ratios when a fuel injection valve is operated to control air-fuel ratios of air-fuel mixtures in the respective cylinders to be equal to each other, the air-fuel ratio detection variable being a variable corresponding to an output of an air-fuel ratio sensor at each of a plurality of third intervals; the execution device is configured to acquire the rotation waveform variable based on a detection value of a sensor that detects a rotation behavior of a crankshaft, in the acquisition process and the air-fuel ratio detection variable at each of the third intervals; the rotation waveform variable is a variable indicating a difference between instantaneous speed variables that are variables corresponding to the rotation speed of the crankshaft at each of a plurality of fourth intervals; both the third interval and the fourth interval are angle intervals of the crankshaft smaller than an appearance interval of a compression top dead center; and the rotation waveform variable and a plurality of the air-fuel ratio detection variables that are used as an input of the mapping are time-series data within a predetermined angle interval larger than the appearance interval.
the state of the internal combustion engine is a variation in air-fuel ratio between a plurality of cylinders included in the internal combustion engine;
the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs an imbalance variable by using, as an input, a rotation waveform variable and an air-fuel ratio detection variable, the imbalance variable being a variable indicating a degree of variation between actual air-fuel ratios when a fuel injection valve is operated to control air-fuel ratios of air-fuel mixtures in the respective cylinders to be equal to each other, the air-fuel ratio detection variable being a variable corresponding to an output of an air-fuel ratio sensor at each of a plurality of third intervals;
the execution device is configured to acquire the rotation waveform variable based on a detection value of a sensor that detects a rotation behavior of a crankshaft, in the acquisition process and the air-fuel ratio detection variable at each of the third intervals;
the rotation waveform variable is a variable indicating a difference between instantaneous speed variables that are variables corresponding to the rotation speed of the crankshaft at each of a plurality of fourth intervals;
both the third interval and the fourth interval are angle intervals of the crankshaft smaller than an appearance interval of a compression top dead center; and
the rotation waveform variable and a plurality of the air-fuel ratio detection variables that are used as an input of the mapping are time-series data within a predetermined angle interval larger than the appearance interval.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein: the state of the internal combustion engine is a degree of deterioration of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine; the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs a deterioration degree variable by using, as an input, time-series data of an excess amount variable in a first predetermined period, and time-series data of a downstream detection variable in a second predetermined period, the deterioration degree variable being a variable related to the degree of deterioration of the catalyst, the excess amount variable being a variable corresponding to an excess amount of an actual injection amount with respect to an amount of fuel needed for setting an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine to a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the downstream detection variable being a variable corresponding to a detection value of an air-fuel ratio sensor on a downstream side of the catalyst; and the execution device is configured to acquire the time-series data of the excess amount variable in the first predetermined period and the time-series data of the downstream detection variable in the second predetermined period, in the acquisition process.
the state of the internal combustion engine is a degree of deterioration of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine;
the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs a deterioration degree variable by using, as an input, time-series data of an excess amount variable in a first predetermined period, and time-series data of a downstream detection variable in a second predetermined period, the deterioration degree variable being a variable related to the degree of deterioration of the catalyst, the excess amount variable being a variable corresponding to an excess amount of an actual injection amount with respect to an amount of fuel needed for setting an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine to a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the downstream detection variable being a variable corresponding to a detection value of an air-fuel ratio sensor on a downstream side of the catalyst; and
the execution device is configured to acquire the time-series data of the excess amount variable in the first predetermined period and the time-series data of the downstream detection variable in the second predetermined period, in the acquisition process.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein: the state of the internal combustion engine is a presence or absence of an abnormality in a warm-up process of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine; the storage device is configured to store association data that associates an integrated value of an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from a start of the internal combustion engine with a temperature of the catalyst; the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs an estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst by using, as an input, a warm-up operation amount variable and a previous value of the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst, the warm-up operation amount variable being a variable related to an operation amount of an operation unit of the internal combustion engine that is used for the warm-up process of the catalyst; and the execution device is configured to acquire the warm-up operation amount variable and the previous value of the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst, in the acquisition process, and determine that the warm-up process is abnormal when a correspondence between the integrated value of the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from the start of the internal combustion engine and the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst is different from a correspondence between the integrated value of the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from the start of the internal combustion engine and the temperature of the catalyst in the association data, in the determination process.
the state of the internal combustion engine is a presence or absence of an abnormality in a warm-up process of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine;
the storage device is configured to store association data that associates an integrated value of an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from a start of the internal combustion engine with a temperature of the catalyst;
the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs an estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst by using, as an input, a warm-up operation amount variable and a previous value of the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst, the warm-up operation amount variable being a variable related to an operation amount of an operation unit of the internal combustion engine that is used for the warm-up process of the catalyst; and
the execution device is configured to acquire the warm-up operation amount variable and the previous value of the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst, in the acquisition process, and determine that the warm-up process is abnormal when a correspondence between the integrated value of the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from the start of the internal combustion engine and the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst is different from a correspondence between the integrated value of the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from the start of the internal combustion engine and the temperature of the catalyst in the association data, in the determination process.
acquire the warm-up operation amount variable and the previous value of the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst, in the acquisition process, and
determine that the warm-up process is abnormal when a correspondence between the integrated value of the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from the start of the internal combustion engine and the estimated value of the temperature of the catalyst is different from a correspondence between the integrated value of the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from the start of the internal combustion engine and the temperature of the catalyst in the association data, in the determination process.
The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein: the state of the internal combustion engine is an estimated value of an oxygen storage amount of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine; the mapping data is data defining a mapping that outputs a storage amount variable by using, as an input, an excess or deficiency amount variable and a plurality of variables including some of previous values of the storage amount variable that is a variable related to the oxygen storage amount of the catalyst, the storage amount variable being a variable corresponding to an excess or deficiency amount of an actual fuel amount with respect to an amount of fuel that reacts with an oxygen contained in a fluid flowing into the catalyst without excess or deficiency; and the execution device is configured to acquire the plurality of variables in the acquisition process.
the state of the internal combustion engine is an estimated value of an oxygen storage amount of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passa
[Truncated to input limit]