Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-06-23)

CLAIMS:
LISTING OF CLAIMS

This Listing of Claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:

1\. (currently amended): A compression ignition engine with a plurality of cylinders, comprising:- a valve actuation system, arranged for opening and closing intake valves and exhaust valves of each cylinder of said plurality of cylinders;
\- a fuel injection system, arranged for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of each cylinder; and
\- a controller, arranged for controlling the valve actuation system and the fuel injection system;
wherein the controller is arranged for selecting between a normal mode or a cold start mode for operating the compression ignition engine;
wherein, in the normal mode, the controller is arranged for controlling the fuel injection system to inject a main fuel injection in a single pulse between 3.5 degrees crank angle before and 4.5 degrees crank angle after top dead center (TDC) in the power stroke, to power the engine;
wherein, in the cold start mode, the controller is arranged for splitting the single main fuel injection pulse into distinct first and second split main pulses; and
wherein the controller is arranged for controlling the fuel injection system to inject the first split main pulse at a delayed timing for initiating a diffusion combustion phase and providing a combusting air-fuel mix in the pressurized combustion chamber, and to inject the second split main pulse during the diffusion combustion phase into the combusting air-fuel mix.

2\. (original): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for calculating and calibrating a start and an end of the first split main pulse with respect to TDC, and for calculating and calibrating a start and an end of the second split main pulse with respect to the end of the first split main pulse.

3\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the first split main pulse comprises a fuel quantity between 75% and 98% of a fuel quantity of the main

fuel injection pulse, and wherein the controller is arranged for controlling the fuel injection system to inject the first split main pulse between TDC and 4.5 degrees crank angle after TDC.

4\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the second split main pulse comprises a fuel quantity between 2 and 25% of a fuel quantity of the main fuel injection pulse, and wherein the controller is arranged for controlling the fuel injection system to start injecting the second split main pulse between 0.5 and 7 degrees crank angle after an end of the first split main pulse.

5\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for selecting the cold start mode when the ambient temperature is below a temperature threshold value and/or the ambient pressure is below a pressure threshold value.

6\. (original): The compression ignition engine according to claim 5, wherein the temperature threshold value is between 10 and -40 degrees Celsius.

7\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 5, wherein the ambient pressure threshold value is between 60 and 95 kPa.

8\. (currently amended): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for switching between the normal mode and the cold start mode based on an engine speed.

9\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for switching between the normal mode and the cold start mode based on an actual compression pressure.

10\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further arranged for controlling the fuel injection system to inject a pilot injection into the combustion chamber before a start of the single main fuel injection pulse in the normal mode, and before a start of the first split main pulse in the cold start mode.

11\. (original): The compression ignition engine according to claim 10, wherein the pilot injection is between 7.5% and 17.5% of the main fuel injection, and wherein the controller is arranged

for controlling the fuel injection system to start injecting the pilot injection between 27 and 1.5 degrees crank angle before the start of the main fuel injection.

12\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for controlling the valve actuation system such that each cylinder is arranged for conducting a four-stroke Miller cycle in which a reduced part of intake air is compressed in a compression stroke.

13\. (previously presented): A commercial vehicle, comprising a compression ignition engine according to claim 1.

14\. (currently amended): A method for improving cold start behavior of a compression ignition engine comprising a plurality of cylinders, a valve actuation system arranged for opening and closing intake valves and exhaust valves of each cylinder of said plurality of cylinders, and a fuel injection system arranged for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of each cylinder;wherein the method comprises the steps of:
\- selecting between a normal mode and a cold start mode for operating the compression ignition engine;
\- in the normal mode:
o controlling the fuel injection system to inject a main fuel injection in a single pulse between 3.5 degrees crank angle before and 4.5 degrees crank angle after top dead center (TDC) in the power stroke, to power the engine;
\- in the cold start mode:
o splitting the single main fuel injection pulse into distinct first and second split main pulses; and
o controlling the fuel injection system to inject the first split main pulse at a delayed timing for initiating a diffusion combustion phase and providing a combusting air- fuel mix in the pressurized combustion chamber, and to inject the second split main pulse during the diffusion combustion phase into the combusting air-fuel mix.

15\. (previously presented): The compression ignition engine according to claim 6, wherein the ambient pressure threshold value is between 60 and 95 kPa.

16\. (new): The compression ignition engine according to claim 8, wherein the engine speed is an idle speed between 500-600 RPM.

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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
In accordance with MPEP § 2143.03, all claim limitations have been considered by Examiner and Claims 1-16 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 compression ignition engine and associated method, wherein the engine includes a controller is arranged for selecting between a normal mode or a cold start mode for operating the compression ignition engine, wherein, in the normal mode, the controller is arranged for controlling the fuel injection system to inject a main fuel injection in a single pulse between 3.5 degrees crank angle before and 4.5 degrees crank angle after top dead center (TDC) in the power stroke, to power the engine, in the cold start mode, the controller is arranged for splitting the single main fuel injection pulse into distinct first and second split main pulses, and the controller is arranged for controlling the fuel injection system to inject the first split main pulse at a delayed timing for initiating a diffusion combustion phase and providing a combusting air-fuel mix in the pressurized combustion chamber, and to inject the second split main pulse during the diffusion combustion phase into the combusting air-fuel mix, as provided in Claims 1 and 14. In combination with the remaining limitations in the claim, the aforementioned limitations establish allowability over the prior art.
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

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKSBy the foregoing amendments, claims 1-15 and new claim 16 are pending. As noted in detail below, amendments to independent claims 1 and 14, as well as dependent claim 8, are responsive to the indefiniteness rejections raised. The subject matter of new claim 16, depending from claim 8, is directed to a preferred embodiment that has been deleted from this base claim.Accordingly, no new matter is added.Rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) In response to the rejections based on indefiniteness, independent claims 1 and 14 have been amended to provide express antecedent basis for "a combusting air-fuel mix," making clear the subsequent reference to "the combusting air-fuel mix." Also, the clause in claim 8 beginning with "preferably" has been deleted, and the recited preferred embodiment is now the subject matter to which new claim 16, depending from claim 8, is directed.In view of these amendments and remarks, withdrawal of the rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 112 is respectfully requested.CONCLUSIONApplicant is appreciative of the Examiner's indication, on page 3 of the Office Action, that claims 1-15 are allowable. It is respectfully submitted that new dependent claim 16 is likewise allowable. Therefore, an indication of allowability in the next Office communication is respectfully requested.This response is believed to completely address the substantive issues raised in the Office Action dated August 19, 2025. However, if any outstanding issues remain, the Examiner is invited to contact the undersigned at (202) 824-3273.Respectfully submitted, BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD.Date: May 22, 2025