Combined Component Swapping Modularity for a VCT Engine Controller

The use of bi-directional communication provides additional design freedom which can be used to maximize the swapping modularity of networked smart components. In this paper, application of a design method for combined swapping modularity of two or more system components is discussed. Development of measures for combined swapping modularity is important to be able to analyze more realistic engineering cases. The combined modularity problem is a more difficult problem compared to the individual component swapping modularity problem. First, two approaches (simultaneous and sequential) for combining component swapping modularity of two or more components are presented. Then these combined modularity approaches are used to design controllers which maximize the component-swapping modularity of the Variable Camshaft Timing (VCT) component (i.e. actuator and sensor) and the Exhaust Gas Oxygen (EGO) sensor for an internal combustion engine.