1. A NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus comprising:
a particulate matter accumulation estimating component configured to estimate an estimated amount of particulate matter accumulated in a particulate matter filter that is positioned downstream of a NOx trapping catalytic converter based on at least the particulate matter flowing into the particulate matter filter;
a particulate matter accumulation detecting component configured to detect a detected amount of particulate matter accumulated in the particulate matter filter; and
a deterioration determining component configured to determine if deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter has occurred based on the estimated amount of accumulated particulate matter and the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter.
2. The NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein
the particulate matter accumulation estimating component is further configured to estimate the estimated amount of particulate matter that flows into the particulate matter filter during a prescribed amount of time based on an engine operating condition, and
the particulate matter accumulation detecting component is further configured to detect the detected amount of particulate matter that accumulates in the particulate matter filter during the prescribed amount of time based on a detected pressure difference across the particulate matter filter.
3. The NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein
the deterioration determining component is further configured to determine that deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter has occurred when a difference between the estimated amount of particulate matter estimated for the prescribed amount of time and the detected amount of particulate matter detected for the prescribed amount of time is larger than a determination threshold value.
4. The NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein
the deterioration determining component is further configured to set the determination threshold value based on an amount of particulate matter that flows in for the prescribed amount of time.
5. The NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein
the particulate matter accumulation estimating component is further configured to estimate the estimated amount of particulate matter that flows into the particulate matter filter for the prescribed amount of time when an exhaust gas temperature is in a prescribed temperature region, and
the particulate matter accumulation detecting component is further configured to detect an increase amount by which the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter increases for the prescribed amount of time when the exhaust gas temperature is in the prescribed temperature region.
6. The NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein
the particulate matter accumulation detecting component is further configured to set the prescribed temperature region as an exhaust gas temperature region in which a conversion efficiency of the NOx trapping catalytic converter changes when deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter occurs and in which nitrogen dioxide flowing out of the NOx trapping catalytic converter causes particulate matter accumulated in the particulate matter filter to be removed by oxidation.
7. The NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein
the particulate matter accumulation detecting component is further configured to set the prescribed temperature region as a region from about 250 C.\xb0 to about 450 C.\xb0.
8. The NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein
the particulate matter accumulation estimating component is further configured to estimate the estimated amount of particulate matter that flows into the particulate matter filter for the prescribed amount of time based on a fuel injection quantity and an engine rotational speed.
9. A method of determining deterioration of a NOx trapping catalytic converter comprising:
estimating an estimated amount of particulate matter accumulated in a particulate matter filter that is positioned downstream of the NOx trapping catalytic converter based on at least the particulate matter flowing into the particulate matter filter;
detecting a detected amount of particulate matter accumulated in the particulate matter filter; and
determining deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter based on the estimated amount of accumulated particulate matter and the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter.
10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein
the estimating of the estimated amount of particulate matter is conducted based on an engine operating condition occurring during a prescribed amount of time, and
the detecting of the detected amount of particulate matter that accumulates in the particulate matter filter is conducted based on a detected pressure difference across the particulate matter filter during the prescribed amount of time.
11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein
the determining of the deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter includes determining deterioration has occurred when a difference between the estimated and detected amounts for the prescribed amount of time is larger than a determination threshold value.
12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein
the determining of the deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter includes setting the determination threshold value based on an amount of particulate matter that flows in for the prescribed amount of time.
13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein
the estimating of the estimated amount of particulate matter for the prescribed amount of time is executed when an exhaust gas temperature is in a prescribed temperature region, and
the detecting of the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter includes detecting an increase amount by which the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter increases for the prescribed amount of time, which is executed when the exhaust gas temperature is in the prescribed temperature region.
14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein
the detecting of the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter includes setting the prescribed temperature region as an exhaust gas temperature region in which a conversion efficiency of the NOx trapping catalytic converter changes when deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter occurs and in which nitrogen dioxide flowing out of the NOx trapping catalytic converter causes particulate matter accumulated in the particulate matter filter to be removed by oxidation.
15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein
the detecting of the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter includes setting the prescribed temperature region as a region from about 250 C.\xb0 to about 450 C.\xb0.
16. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein
the estimating of the estimated amount of particulate matter for the prescribed amount of time is based on a fuel injection quantity and an engine rotational speed.
17. A NOx trapping catalytic converter diagnostic apparatus comprising:
a NOx trapping catalytic converter arranged in an exhaust passage of an engine;
a particulate matter filter arranged downstream of the NOx trapping catalytic converter; and
a controller for controlling an operational state of the engine, the controller further comprising
particulate matter accumulation estimating means for estimating an estimated amount of particulate matter accumulated in the particulate matter filter based on the operational state of the engine;
particulate matter accumulation detecting means for detecting a detected amount of particulate matter accumulated in the particulate matter filter; and
deterioration determining means for determining if deterioration of the NOx trapping catalytic converter has occurred based on the estimated amount of accumulated particulate matter and the detected amount of accumulated particulate matter.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus in communication with a telephone line for defeating predictive dialing telemarketing systems that remove telephone numbers from their systems in response to 2100 Hz answer tones, the apparatus comprising:
a signal generator that generates a 2100 Hz answer tone;
a ring detector;
an offhook detector;
a controller in communication with the ring detector and the offhook detector that sends the 2100 Hz answer tone in response to answered incoming calls on the telephone line;
a CLI detector; and
a controller that is responsive to the CLI detector that only sends the 2100 Hz answer tone upon receipt of CLI data representative of a private, blocked, or unknown caller.
2. An apparatus in communication with a telephone line for defeating predictive dialing telemarketing systems that remove telephone numbers from their systems in response to 2100 Hz answer tones, the apparatus comprising:
a signal generator that generates a 2100 Hz answer tone;
a ring detector;
an offhook detector;
a controller in communication with the ring detector and the offhook detector that sends the 2100 Hz answer tone in response to answered incoming calls on the telephone line;
a CLI detector;
a database recorded in an electronic memory device to store preferred callers; and
a controller that is responsive to the CLI detector that does not send the 2100 Hz answer tone upon receipt of CLI data that matches data residing in the database.